Chulavagga 5.23

Tipitaka >> Vinaya Pitaka >> Khandhaka >> Chulavagga >> Fifth Khandaka >> 5.23

Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

CHULAVAGGA (THE MINOR SECTION)

FIFTH KHANDHAKA (ON THE DAILY LIFE OF THE BHIKKHUS)

Chapter-23.

1. Now at that time a mosquito-fan had come into the possession of the Sangha.

They told this matter to the Lord Buddha.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the use of mosquito-fans.'

A chumara (a tail of the Tibetan ox, mounted on a stick, to be used by

an attendant to whisk off flies) had come into the possession of the Sangha.

They told this matter to the Lord Buddha.

'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to make use of a chamara. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata. I allow, O Bhikkhus, three kinds of flywhisks--those made of bark, those made of Usira-grass, and those made of peacocks' tails(feathers).'

2. [Similar paragraph ending]

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the use of sun-shades.'

Now at that time the Chabbaggiyas went about with sun-shades up. And at that, time a certain Upasaka went to a garden with a number of men who were followers of the Ajivakas (naked ascetics). And those followers of the Ajivakas saw the Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus(Monks) coming along in the distance with sun-shades held over them; and on seeing them, they said to that Upasaka:

'Are these, Sir, the men whom you reverence coming along, like lords of the treasury, there with sun-shades held over them?'

'No, Sirs. These are not Bhikkhus; they are paribbajakas (wandering mendicants).'

So they made a bet whether they were Bhikkhus or not. And when that Upasaka recognised them, when they came up, he murmured, was annoyed, and was indignant, saying, 'How can their reverences go about with sun-shades held over them?'

The Bhikkhus heard of that Upasaka's thus murmuring, &c.

And those Bhikkhus told the matter to the Lord Buddha.

'Is it true, O Bhikkhus, as they say?'

'It is true, Lord.'

The Great Buddha rebuked them, saying (&c., as usual, see I, 1, 2, 3). And when he had rebuked them, and had delivered a dhamma discourse, he, addressed the Bhikkhus, and said:

'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to have sun-shades held over you. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata.'

3. Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu(Monk) was sick, and without a sun-shade (being held over him) he was ill at ease.

They told this matter to the Lord Buddha.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, a sun-shade for the sick.'

Now at that time the Bhikkhus, thinking, 'It is for the sick only that sun-shades have been allowed by the Lord Buddha, and not for those who are not sick,' were afraid to use sun-shades in the Arama, or in the precincts of the Arama.

They told this matter to the Lord Buddha.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, either a sick man, or one who is not sick, to have a sun-shade held over him either in the Arama, or in the precincts of the Arama.