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226
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MAHAVAGGA.
VIII, 16, 1.
16. 1, 2. Now at that time Bhikkhus who had eaten sweet foods went to sleep unmindful and unthoughtful. And they who had thus gone to sleep, dreamed 1. ..............................
3. .... 'I allow, O Bhikkhus, for the protection of the body, and of the robe, and of the sleepingplace, the use of a mat.'
4. Now at that time the mat, being too short, did not protect the whole of the sleeping-place.
'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to have a covering made as large as you like.'
17 3.
1. Now at that time the venerable Belatihasisa, the superior of the venerable Ananda, had a disease of thick scabs; and by reason of the discharge thereof his robes stuck to his body. The Bhikkhus moistened those robes with water, and loosened them (from his body).
The Blessed One, as he was going on his rounds through the sleeping-places, saw them [doing so), and going up to the place where they were, he asked them :
1 The remainder of this introductory story scarcely bears translation. The first sentences recur in the Sutta-vibhanga, Samghadisesa I, 2, 1, and Pâkittiya V, 1, 1.
* The length of a mat (nisidanam) was limited by the 89th Pakittiya to two spans by one.
* This introductory story is also given as the introduction to Mahâvagga VI, 9.
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