Cullavagga, Khandaka 10, Chapter 10

1. Now at that time Bhikkhunīs wore long girdles, and out of them they arranged fringes^[1]. The people murmured, were indignant, and complained, saying: 'As the women who are still enjoying the pleasures of the world do!'

'A Bhikkhunī is not, O Bhikkhus, to wear a long girdle. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa. I allow a Bhikkhunī, O Bhikkhus, a girdle that will go once round the body^[2], and fringes are not to be arranged in it. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa.'

Now at that time Bhikkhunīs arranged fringes in cloth of bambū fibre^[3], or in leather, or in white cotton cloth^[4], or in plaited cotton cloth^[5], or in fringed cotton cloth^[6], or in white or, in plaited or in fringed cola cloth^[7], or in plaits or fringes made of thread. The people murmured, were indignant, and complained, saying: 'As the women who are still enjoying the pleasures of the world do!'

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'A Bhikkhunī is not, O Bhikkhus, to wear any of these things. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa.'

2. Now at that time Bhikkhunīs had their backs scrubbed with the steak-bone of an ox, or slapped with the jaw-bone of an ox; and had their fore-arms^[8], and the backs of their hands^[9], and their calves^[10], and the upper part of their feet^[11], and their thighs, and their faces, and their gums, so slapped. The people murmured, were indignant, and complained, saying: 'As the women who are still enjoying the pleasures of the world do!'

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'A Bhikkhunī is not, O Bhikkhus, to [do any of these things]. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa.'

3. Now at that time the Chabbaggiya Bhikkhunīs [&c., down to]

'^[12]A Bhikkhunī is not, O Bhikkhus, to anoint her face, nor to rub ointments on to her face^[13], nor to put chunam on to her face, nor to smear red arsenic on to her face, nor to paint her body, nor to paint her face, nor to paint her body and face. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa.'

4. [Similar paragraph concluding,]

'A Bhikkhunī is not, O Bhikkhus, to make (tattoo marks) by the corners of her eyes^[14], or on her cheeks^[15], nor to peep out of window^[16], nor to stand in the light (of a half-opened door)^[17], nor to have dances performed, nor to keep courtesans, nor to keep a tavern, nor to keep a slaughter-house, nor to open a shop, nor, to practise usury, nor to supply men slaves or women slaves, or men servants or maid servants, or animals, nor to carry on the business of florist and seedsman^[18], nor to carry the razor case^[19].'

[Similar paragraph concluding,]

'A Bhikkhunī is not, O Bhikkhus, to wear robes that are all of a blue, light yellow, crimson, black, brownish-yellow, or dark yellow colour nor to wear robes with skirts to them which are not made of torn pieces of cloth, or are long, or have flowers worked on them, or cobras' hoods; nor to wear jackets, nor dresses made of the fibre of the Tirītaka plant^[20]. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa.'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Pāsuke namentīti gihidārikāyo viya ghanapaṭṭakena kāyabandhanena pāsuke namanatthāya bandhanti, says Buddhaghosa. Pāsuka is probably equal to the Sanskrit pārśvaka, and means a fringe arranged round the body, as shown in Plate LI of Cunningham's 'Bharhut Tope,' being so called from the rib-like arrangement of the strings or cloth or other substance of which it was made. On corresponding girdles worn by men and forbidden to Bhikkhus, see Cullavagga V, 29, 2.

[2]:

Ekapariyākatan ti ekavāraṃ parikkhipanakaṃ, says the Samanta Pāsādikā.

[3]:

Vilivena pattenāti (sic) saṇheti veḷuviḷvehi (sic) katapaṭṭena.

[4]:

Dussapaṭṭenāti setavatthapaṭṭena.

[5]:

Dussaveṇiyāti dussena kataveniyā.

[6]:

Dussavaṭṭiyāti dussena katavaṭṭiyā.

[7]:

Colapaṭṭādisu colakāvāsaṃ colan ti veditabbaṃ.

[8]:

Hatthaṃ koṭṭāpentīti aggaṃ bāhaṃ koṭṭāpetvā morapattādīhi cittakaṃ karonti, says Buddhaghosa. The meaning is not clear. No. 10 of the tattoo marks figured on Plate LII of Cunningham's 'Bharhut Tope,' referred to in the note on the next section, is a representation of a peacock's feathers. On aṭṭhilla, see Buddhaghosa's note at p. 327 of the text. Compare the prohibition of the use by Bhikkhus of back-scratchers and other like things (Cullavagga V, 1, 1) connected with shampooing of luxurious bathing.

[9]:

Hattha-kocchan ti piṭṭhi-hatthaṃ.

[10]:

Pādan ti jaṅghaṃ.

[11]:

Pāda-kocchan ti piṭṭhi-pādaṃ.

[12]:

This paragraph has already occurred above, V, 2, 5 of the Bhikkhus.

[13]:

These two injunctions are found also in the 90th and 91st Bhikkhunī Pācittiyas.

[14]:

Avaṅgaṃ karontīti avaṅga-dese adhomukhaṃ lekhaṃ karonti (B.). Avaṅga = Sanskrit apāṅga.

[15]:

Visesakaṃ karontīti gaṇḍa-padese vicitra-saṇṭhānaṃ visesakaṃ karonti (B.). A number of tattoo marks on the cheeks are figured in Plate LII of Cunningham's 'Bharhut Tope.'

[16]:

Olokentīti vātapānaṃ vivaritvā vīthiṃ olokenti (B.).

[17]:

Sāloke tiṭṭhantīti dvāroṃ vivaritvā upaḍḍha-kāyaṃ dassentiyo tiṭṭhanti (B.). Compare Theri-gāthā 73.

[18]:

Harītaka-paṇṇikaṃ pakiṇantīti harītakañ c’ eva paṇṇiñ ca pakiṇanti, pakiṇṇakāpanaṃ pasārentīli vuttaṃ hoti (B.). Compare paṇṇika-upāsako in the Jātaka I, 411 = II, 180.

[19]:

Namatakaṃ dhāreti. See V, 27, 3, and our note above on V, 11, 1. The expression evidently means here 'to be a barber.'

[20]:

This paragraph has already occurred above, in respect to the Bhikkhus (Mahāvagga VIII, 29), where see our notes on the various items.