________________
V, 21, 4. ON THE DAILY LIFE OF THE BHIKKHUS.
129
with religious discourse, Bodhi the king's son rose from his seat and departed thence.
Then the Blessed One, on that occasion and in that connection, convened an assembly of the Bhikkhu-samgha, and after he had delivered a religious discourse, he addressed the Bhikkhus and said :
You are not, O Bhikkhus, to walk upon cloth laid down (for ceremonial purposes). Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata:
4. Now at that time a certain woman who had had a miscarriage, and had invited the Bhikkhus, and spread cloths in their honour, said to them, 'Step, Sirs, over the cloth.
The Bhikkhus, fearing to offend, would not do so.
Step, Sirs, over the cloth, for good luck's sake.'
The Bhikkhus, fearing to offend, would not do so.
Then that woman murmured, was annoyed, and was indignant, saying, 'How can their reverences refuse to step over the cloth when they are asked to do so for good luck's sake?'
The Bhikkhus heard of that woman's murmuring, and being annoyed, and indignant. And they told this matter to the Blessed One.
'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, when asked to do so for the sake of good luck to laymen, to step over cloth laid down for ceremonial purposes.'
Now at the time the Bhikkhus were afraid to step on to a mat to be used for wiping the feet".
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
.
· Dhota-pâdaka.
[20]
Digiized by Google
