Vinaya (2): The Mahavagga

by T. W. Rhys Davids | 1881 | 156,382 words

The Mahavagga (part of the Vinaya collection) includes accounts of Gautama Buddha’s and the ten principal disciples’ awakenings, as well as rules for ordination, rules for reciting the Patimokkha during uposatha days, and various monastic procedures....

Mahavagga, Khandaka 8, Chapter 12

1. Now when the Blessed One had remained at Rājagaha as long as he thought fit, he set forth on his journey towards Dakkhiṇā-giri (the Southern Hills[1]). And the Blessed One beheld how the Magadha rice fields were divided into short pieces[2], and in rows[3], and by outside boundaries[4] (or ridges), and by cross boundaries[5].

On seeing this the Blessed One spake thus to the venerable Ānanda: 'Dost thou perceive, Ānanda, how the Magadha rice fields are divided into short pieces, and in rows, and by outside boundaries, and by cross boundaries?'

'Even so, Lord.'

'Could you, Ānanda, provide[6] robes of a like kind for the Bhikkhus?'

'I could, Lord.'

Now when the Blessed One had remained in the Southern Hills as long as he thought fit, he returned again to Rājagaha.

Then Ānanda provided robes of a like kind for many Bhikkhus; and going up to the place where the Blessed One was, he spake thus to the Blessed One: 'May the Blessed One be pleased to look at the robes which I have provided.'

2. Then the Blessed One on that occasion addressed the Bhikkhus and said: 'An able man, O Bhikkhus, is Ānanda; of great understanding, O Bhikkhus, is Ānanda, inasmuch as what has been spoken by me in short that can he understand in full, and can make the cross seams[7], and the intermediate cross seams[8], and the greater circles[9], and the lesser circles[10], and the turning in[11], and the lining of the turning in[12], and the collar piece[13], and the knee piece[14], and the elbow piece[15]. And it shall be of torn pieces[16], roughly sewn together[17], suitable for a Samaṇa, a thing which his enemies cannot covet[18]. I enjoin upon you, O Bhikkhus, the use of an under robe of torn pieces, and of an upper robe of torn pieces, and of a waist cloth of torn pieces[19].'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

These are always mentioned in connection with Rājagaha (Mahāvagga I, 53 Cullavagga XI, 1-10), and are probably the name of the mountainous district immediately south of Rājagaha.

[2]:

Accibaddhan (sic) ti caturassakedārakabaddhaṃ (B.). I have never seen a field divided 'ray-fashion,' which would apparently be the literal translation of the term, and it is difficult to see how the necessary water could be conducted from strip to strip of a field so divided. Buddhaghosa also, though his explanation is insufficient, evidently does not take acci in the ordinary sense (Rh. D.).

[3]:

Paḷibaddhan (sic) ti āyāmato ca vitthārato ca dighamariyādabaddhaṃ (B.).

[4]:

Mariyādabaddhan (sic) ti antarantarāya mariyādāya mariyādabaddhaṃ (B.).

[5]:

Siṅghāṭakabaddhan (sic) ti mariyādāyā (sic) mariyādaṃ vinivijjhitvā gataṭṭhāne siṅghāṭakabaddhaṃ. Catukkasaṇṭhānan ti attho (B.).

[6]:

Saṃvidahitun ti kātuṃ (B.).

[7]:

Kusiṃ pi ’ti āyāmato ca vitthārato ca anuvātādīnaṃ dīghapaṭṭānaṃ etaṃ adhivacanaṃ (B.).

[8]:

Aḍḍhakusī ti antarantarā rassa-paṭṭānaṃ nāmaṃ (B.).

[9]:

Maṇḍalan ti pañca-khanḍika-cīvarassa ekekasmiṃ khaṇḍe mahā-maṇḍalam (B.).

[10]:

Aḍḍhamaṇḍalan ti khuddaka-maṇḍalaṃ (B.).

[11]:

Vivaṭṭan ti maṇḍalañ ca aḍḍha-maṇḍalañ ca ekato katvā sibbitaṃ majjhima-khaṇḍaṃ (B.).

[12]:

Anuvivaṭṭan ti tassa ubhosu passesu dve khaṇḍāni. Athavā vivaṭṭassa ekekapassato dvinnam pi catunnam pi khaṇḍānam etaṃ nāmaṃ (B.).

[13]:

Gīveyyakan ti gīva-ṭṭhāne daḷhi-karan-atthaṃ aññaṃ suttaṃ sibbitaṃ āgantuka-paṭṭaṃ (B.).

[14]:

Jaṅgheyyakan ti jaṅlgha-pāpuna-ṭṭhāne tatth’ eva saṃsibbita-paṭṭaṃ. Gīva-ṭṭhāne ca jaṅgha-ṭṭhāne ca paṭṭānaṃ ev’ etaṃ nāman ti pi vadanti (B.).

[15]:

Bāhantan ti anuvivaṭṭānaṃ bahi ekekakhaṇḍaṃ. Athavā suppamāṇaṃ cīvaraṃ pārupentena saṃharitā bāhāya upari ṭhapitā ubho anto-bahi-mukhā tiṭṭhanti. Tesaṃ etaṃ nāmaṃ. Ayam eva hi nayo Mahā-atthakathāyaṃ vutto ti (B.). This latter explanation from bāhā seems evidently more correct than the other one from bahi; and we accordingly follow it.

[16]:

See the end of the last chapter.

[17]:

Satta-lūkha; in which compound the signification of satta is by no means clear. Buddhaghosa has no note upon it. Now it is curious that in chapter 21, below, it is laid down that the robe is to be sutta-lūkha, the meaning of which would fit this passage excellently. We have accordingly adopted that reading here.

[18]:

Compare the similar expressions at Jātaka I, 8 and 9.

[19]:

The general sense of this chapter is clear enough. As an Indian field, the common property of the village community, was divided, for the purposes of cultivation, across and across, so must also the Bhikkhu's robe be divided. That some, both of the agricultural and of the tailoring terms, should now be unintelligible to us is not surprising. Buddhaghosa himself, as the extracts from his commentary show, was not certain of the meaning of them all.

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