________________
128
KULLAVAGGA.
V, 21, 3.
result]. And a third time he [preferred the same request). Then the Blessed One looked round at the venerable Ananda.
And the venerable Ânanda said to Bodhi the king's son, 'Let them gather up, O prince, these cloths. The Blessed One will not walk on a strip of cloth (laid down for ceremonial purposes)! The Tathagata has mercy even on the meanest thing.'
3. Then Bodhi the king's son had the cloths gathered up, and spread out a seat on the top of Kokanada. And the Blessed One ascended up into Kokanada, and sat down on the seat spread out there with the Samgha of Bhikkhus. And Bodhi the king's son satisfied the Bhikkhu-samgha with the Buddha at their head with the sweet food, both hard and soft, waiting upon them with his own handa. And when the Blessed One had cleansed his bowl and his hands, he (Bodhi) took his seat on one side. And the Blessed One instructed, and roused, and incited, and gladdened him thus sitting with religious discourse. And when he had been thus instructed, and roused, and incited, and gladdened
Kela-pattikä ti kela-santharam, says Buddhaghosa. See pattik â in Childers, and compare pañka-patthikam at V, 11, 6. Kela is not merely ordinary cloth; it is cloth regarded as a means of giving a decorative or festive appearance to a house by spreading canopies, &c. See Gâtaka I, 178, and Mahâ-parinibbana Sutta VI, 26 (p. 64). On such festive occasions the whole house (or the Mandapa erected in special honour of the guest) is covered with lengths of clean cotton cloth the same as are otherwise used for ordinary apparel - white being the colour signifying peculiar respect. It is such lengths of cloth so used honoris . causâ that are called kela-pattika. Compare Rh. D.'s note in Buddhist Suttas,' p. 122. * See the note above on Mahâvagga I, 8, 4.
Digilzed by Google
