Chulavagga 8.7

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

CHULAVAGGA (THE MINOR SECTION)

THE EIGHTH KHANDHAKA(DUTIES OF THE BHIKKHUS TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER)

Chapter-7.

1. Now at that time a number of Bhikkhus carried on robe-making in the open air. The Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus beat their bedding to get

the dust out in the open space to windward of them, and covered the Bhikkhus (who were at work) with dust.

The moderate Bhikkhus murmured, &c. . . . . told the Lord Buddha, &c. . . . . and he said to the Bhikkhus:

'Therefore, O Bhikkhus, do I establish a rule of conduct for the Bhikkhus in respect of lodging-places, according to which they are to behave themselves in respect of that.

2. 'In whatever Vihara he is staying, if that Vihara is dirty, he should, if he can, make it clean. When cleaning the Vihara, he should first take out his bowl and his robe and the mat used for sitting upon, and the bolster and. pillows, and put them down on one side. Taking the bed-frame down (from its stand), he should carry it out [and so on as in VIII, 1, 2, down to the end].

'He should not beat the bedding to get the dust out close to the Bhikkhus, or to the Vihara, or to the drinking-water, or to the water for washing, or in the open space (in front of the Vihara) to wind-ward of it or the Bhikkhus, but to leeward.

3. 'The floor coverings should be dried in the sun [and so on as in VIII I, 4, and 5, to the end, reading "in the place where it stood (or lay)" for "in the place to which it belongs"].

4. 'If he is dwelling in the same Vihara with an older (Bhikkhu), no recitation should be given, nor examination held, nor exhortation made, nor Dhamma spoken (to a pupil), without leave being asked of the senior. Nor should a lamp be lighted or extinguished, nor the lattices opened or closed, without his leave.

'If he is walking up and down on the same with an older (Bhikkhu), then he should turn back at the spot where his senior turns back; and he should not touch his senior even with the corner of his robe.

'This, O Bhikkhus(Monks), is the rule of conduct, that I lay down for the Bhikkhus in respect of lodging-places, according to which they are to behave themselves in that.'