Text of Confucianism Part 02

SR No.: 007676
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: James Legge
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1882
Total Pages: 2405
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 43 MB

Page 705

VIII, 13, 3.
THE DRESS OF THE BHIKKHUS.
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winter nights, in the period between the Ashtaka festivals when the snow falls !, the Blessed One sat at night in the open air with but one robe on, and the Blessed One felt not cold. As the first watch of the night was coming to its end, the Blessed One felt cold; and he put on a second robe, and felt not cold. As the middle watch of the night was coming to its end, the Blessed One felt cold; and he put on a third robe, and felt not cold. As the last watch of the night was coming to an end, when the dawn was breaking and the night was far spent?, the Blessed One felt cold; and he put on a fourth robe, and felt not cold.
3. Then this thought sprang up in the Blessed One's mind : ‘Those men of good birth in this doctrine and discipline who are affected by cold, and are afraid of cold, they are able to make use of three robes. It were well if in confining within limits the dress of the Bhikkhus, and in fixing a bound thereto, I were to allow the use of three robes.' And on that occasion the Blessed One, when he had
See our note on the same phrase at Mahâvagga I, 20, 15. 'Nandimukhiyå rattiyâ. The derivation of this phrase is uncertain, though the general meaning is not subject to doubt. The Sanskrit form of the whole phrase will be found in the Lalita Vistara at p. 447. Comp. Sânkhâyana-grihya, ed. Oldenberg, IV, 4, where the word nândimukho occurs in a different connection.
In the text read Ye pi kho kulaputta. The idea is that men of lower grade, being accustomed to cold, would not want so many robes. But there must be one rule for all; and the rule is accordingly made to suit the comfort of the weaker brethrenearly Buddhism, contrary to an erroneous opinion still frequently expressed, being opposed to asceticism.
• Or, to get on with the three robes. Compare the use of yåpetum in the Book of the Great Decease,' II, 32.
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