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## Nishīthসূত্র 16:
**The tools that are always kept close at hand, when they become damaged with use, it becomes necessary to refine or repair them oneself or sometimes have them repaired by others. It is only at that time that there is a possibility of having a householder do it.**
Therefore, the area, time, etc., specified in the sūtra should be understood in relation to the needle, thread cutter, nail cutter, and ear cleaner that are kept close at hand.
In the present day, it is not customary to keep needles, thread cutters, and nail cutters. Because they are made of metal, it is considered inconceivable to keep them.
The needle, thread cutter, and nail cutter mentioned in these sūtras, and the skin-cutting tools mentioned in the Ācārāṅga Sūtra and Vyavahāra Sūtra, are all made of metal and are available everywhere. And in the Āgamas, there is no text that states that metal tools are inconceivable except for vessels.
The root of attachment is possessiveness. Possessiveness is usually greater for valuable things. Therefore, the restrained ones (śramaṇa) should not keep money (current coins), gold, silver, and things made from them. Such prohibitions are found in many places in the Āgamas. See Daśavaikalika Śra. 10, Gā. 6, "Grahaṇe ṇijjārūvarya" and Uttarādhyayana 35, Gā. 13, "Hiraṇṇaṁ jāyarūvaṁ ca maṇasā vi na patthae," etc. However, there is no prohibition whatsoever in any Āgama against keeping iron needles, scissors, nail cutters, ear cleaners, and skin-cutting tools, etc. Therefore, it does not seem appropriate to completely prohibit them.
In the Āgamas, only in the context of vessels, there is a prohibition against accepting vessels of many kinds other than the three types. In that, there is no mention of a prohibition only of metal, but there is a prohibition of many kinds, such as stone, glass, teeth, horn, leather, cloth, conch, etc., which is only appropriate to understand in relation to vessels. That rule cannot be applied to all tools. Otherwise, there would be a prohibition against many tools made of glass, teeth, etc., that are kept in the present day.
Therefore, sometimes, materials that are helpful in the pursuit of knowledge or in the pursuit of the title of śramaṇik (a Jain monk) can also be kept, even if they are made of metal (iron, etc.). This is clear from a consideration of these उत्तरकरण sūtras and other Āgama passages.
## अण्णउत्थिय गारत्थिय:
**A monk can do his own work or have it done by another disciple, etc. And if, for some reason, he is unable to do it in the absence of a male monk, he can also have it done by a nun. By doing so, he does not become liable for atonement. But if he has it done by a householder, he incurs atonement.**
In the present sūtra, the term "अण्णउत्थिय - गारत्थिय" is used for the householder. In the commentary, eight types of householders are mentioned. Here is an explanation of the order in which work should be done by those householders:
"Si gihatthāṇa kārāvaṇe imo kamo -
Pacchākaḍ, sābhiggha, nirābhiggha bhaddae vā asannī. Gihi aṇṇatittihie vā gihi puvvaṁ etere pacchā."
- Bhā. Gā. 629 and 1929.