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200
MAHẬVAGGA.
I, 48, 1.
48
1. At that time a certain smith? who was baldheaded, having had a quarrel with his father and mother, had gone to the Arâma and received pabbaggå with the Bhikkhus. Now the father and mother of that bald-headed smith, searching after that bald-headed smith, came to the Arâma and asked the Bhikkhus : 'Pray, reverend Sirs, have you seen such and such a boy?'
The Bhikkhus, who did not know him, said : We do not know him ;' having not seen him, they said: We have not seen him.'
2. Now the father and mother of that bald-headed smith, searching after that bald-headed smith, found him ordained with the Bhikkhus; they were annoyed, &c. : 'These Sakyaputtiya Samanas are shameless, wicked, and liars. They knew him and said: “We do not know him ;" they had seen him and said : “We have not seen him.” This boy has been ordained with the Bhikkhus.
Now some Bhikkhus heard the father and mother of that bald-headed smith, who were annoyed, &c. Those Bhikkhus told the thing to the Blessed One.
I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that the Samgha's permission is asked for having (the new coming Bhikkhus) shaved
i Buddhaghosa explains kammârabhandu by tulâtaramundako (read tuladhâram.) suvannakâraputto. At Dhammapada, v. 230, kam mâra is said of a silversmith. There was probably no distinction in these early times between gold, silver, copper, and iron smiths; the same man being an artificer in all kinds of metal.
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