On duties for forest dwellers

^Kd.18.6.1 Now at that time several monks were living in a forest. ^BD.5.304 They neither set out drinking water, nor did they set out water for washing, ^Vin.2.217 nor did they set out a fire,^[1] nor did they set out kindling wood,^[2] they did not know the positions of the lunar mansions, they did not know the divisions of the quarters. Thieves, having gone there, spoke thus to these monks: “Is there drinking water, honoured sirs?”

“There is not, friends.”

“Is there water for washing … Is there a fire … Is there kindling wood, honoured sirs?”

“There is not, friends.”

“What is there a conjunction with today, honoured sirs?”

“Indeed, we do not know, friends.”

“Which quarter is this, honoured sirs?”

“Indeed, we do not know, friends.” Then these thieves thought: ‘These have no drinking water nor water for washing, there is no fire, there is no kindling wood, they do not know the positions of the lunar mansions, they do not know the divisions of the quarters. These are thieves, these are not monks,’ and having thrashed them, they departed. Then these monks told this matter to the monks. The monks told this matter to the Lord. Then the Lord on this occasion, having given reasoned talk, addressed the monks, saying:

“Well then, monks, I will lay down an observance for monks who are forest-dwellers and which should be observed by monks who are forest-dwellers.

^Kd.18.6.2 “Monks, a monk who is a forest-dweller, getting up early, having placed his bowl in a bag, having hung it on his shoulder, having arranged his robe^[3] over his shoulder, having put on his sandals, having packed away the wooden goods, the clay goods, having closed the doors and windows, may leave^[4] his lodgings. If he thinks: ‘Now I will enter a village,’ having taken off his sandals, having put them down, having beaten them, having placed them in a bag, having hung it on his shoulder, having dressed himself all round covering the three circles, having fastened his waistband … as in Kd.18.5.2 … he ^BD.5.305 should turn away carefully and unhurriedly. He should go amid the houses properly clad … he should not go amid the houses crouching down on his heels.

^Kd.18.6.3 “Having set out from the village, having placed his bowl in the bag, having hung it on his shoulder, having rolled up his robe, having placed it on his head,^[5] having put on his sandals, he should go along. Monks, a monk who is a forest-dweller should set out drinking water, he should set out water for washing, he should set out a fire, he should set out kindling wood, he should set out a walking staff,^[6] he should learn the positions of the lunar mansions, either the whole or one part, he should become skilled in the quarters. This, monks, is the observance for monks who are forest-dwellers and which should be observed by monks who are forest-dwellers.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Cf. Bu-Pc.56 where it is an offence for a monk to kindle a fire to warm himself.

[2]:

araṇisahita. See BD.3.88, n.5, and Vinaya Texts iii.292, n.2.

[3]:

cīvara, not specified here as “outer cloak”.

[4]:

senāsanā otaritabbaṃ. Vin-a.1285 says vasanaṭṭhānato nikkhamitabbaṃ, should depart from the place where he was staying.

[5]:

See Kd.8.13.1.

[6]:

kattaradaṇḍa. See Kd.5.6.2 and Vin.2.76, Vin.2.208.