Mahavagga, Khandaka 8, Chapter 28

1. Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu came naked up to the place where the Blessed One was, and said:

'The Blessed One, Lord, has praised in many ways the moderate man and the contented who has eradicated (evil), who has shaken off his passions, who is gracious, reverent, energetic^[1]. Now this nakedness, Lord, is in many ways effectual to moderation and content, to the eradication of evil, to the suppressions of the passions, to graciousness, reverence, and zeal. It were well, Lord, if the Blessed One would enjoin nakedness upon the Bhikkhus.'

The Blessed Buddha rebuked him, saying, 'This would be improper, O foolish one, crooked, unsuitable, unworthy of a Sam a n a, unbecoming, and it ought not to be done. How can you, O foolish one, adopt nakedness as the Titthiyas do? This will not conduce, O foolish one, to the conversion of the unconverted.'

And when he had rebuked him, and had delivered a religious discourse, he addressed the Bhikkhus, and said:

'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to adopt nakedness, as the Titthiyas do^[2]. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a grave offence (Thullaccaya).'

2. [The whole -section repeated respectively in the case of a Bhikkhu clad in a garment of grass, clad in a garment of bark^[3], clad in a garment of phalaka cloth^[4], clad in a garment of hair^[5], clad in the skin of a wild animal, clad in the feathers of an owl, clad in antelope skins (with the hoofs left on)^[6]. But instead of 'adopt nakedness as the Titthiyas do' substitute respectively 'wear a garment of grass, &c., which is the symbol^[7] the Titthiyas use.']

3. Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu came up to the place where the Blessed One was, clad in cloth made of the stalks of the akka plant^[8].

[All as before in § 1, down to:]

And when he had rebuked him, and had delivered a religious discourse, he addressed the Bhikkhus, and said:

'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to dress yourselves in the stalks of the akka plant. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa.'

[§ 3 is then repeated of a Bhikkhu clad in cloth made of the makaci fibre^[9].]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

So, for example, in Cullavagga I, 1, 3.

[2]:

Compare above, VIII, 15, 7 and 11.

[3]:

This is several times referred to in the Jātakas; for instance, pp. 6, 9, 12,

[4]:

Perhaps made of leaves. Compare Böhtlingk-Roth's, No. 5, sub voce; and Jātaka I, 304 (phalakattharasayana). Perhaps also Jātaka I, 356, 'making a man his phalaka,' may be a figure of speech founded on this use of the word, and mean 'making him his covering.'

[5]:

Like the well-known Titthiya Ajita, one of the six great heretics (Sāmañña-phala Sutta, ed. Grimblot, p. 114, Book of the Great Decease, V, 60).

[6]:

Buddhaghosa, at Suttavibhaṅga, Pārājika I, 10, 3, where this word occurs, says on it, Ajinakkhikan (sic) ti salomaṃ sakhuraṃ agina-miga-cammaṃ. Compare also above, Mahāvagga V. 4.

[7]:

Titthiya-dhaja. Compare Jātaka I, 65, and Cullavagga I, 2 7.

[8]:

Akkanāḷan ti akkanāḷamayaṃ (B.). Compare Böhtlingk-Roth, under arka.

[9]:

Potthako ti makacimayo vuccati (B.). So also Childers, sub voce.