Cullavagga, Khandaka 5, Chapter 12

1. Now the Blessed One, when he had stayed at Rājagaha as long as he thought fit, set out on his journey toward Vesālī^[1].

Now at that time the Bhikkhus went along, carrying their needles and scissors and drugs in their bowls.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the use of a bag to carry the drugs in^[2].' They had no shoulder-strap.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the use of a shoulder-strap^[3], or of a string to tie the bags on with.'

Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu tied his sandals on to his girdle, and then entered the village for alms^[4]. A certain Upāsaka, when saluting that Bhikkhu, knocked up against the sandals with his head. The Bhikkhu was annoyed; and when he had returned to the Ārāma, he told this matter to the Bhikkhus. They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the use of a bag to carry your sandals in,'

They had no shoulder-strap.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the use of a shoulder-strap, or of a string to tie the bags on with.'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

This is merely introduced to show that the following rules or privileges in this and the next chapter (§§ 1, 2) were to be in force when the Bhikkhus were on a journey.

[2]:

Neither here nor in V, 11, 5 are we to understand that the needles and scissors are to be carried in bags. They are mentioned in both passages merely to show the inconvenience of having no separate receptacles for the thimbles and the drugs.

[3]:

See the note on V, 9, 4.

[4]:

He would require the sandals only when he came, in his journey, to rough places; not on the smooth, well-trodden, village paths.