1. Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu who had deposited his robes 3 in Andhavana entered the
village for alms (clad only) in his waist cloth and nether garment 1. Thieves carried off that robe. That Bhikkhu became ragged and ill-clad.
The Bhikkhus spake thus: 'How is it, friend, that you have become ragged and ill-clad?'
'I had deposited my robe in Andhavana, and entered the village in my waist cloth and nether garment. Thieves carried off that robe., Thence am I become ragged and ill-clad.'
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to enter the village (clad only) in your waist cloth and nether garment. Whosoever shall do so is guilty of a dukkata 2.'
2. Now at that time the venerable Ânanda through thoughtlessness went into the village for alms in his waist cloth and nether garment.
The Bhikkhus spake to him thus: 'Hath it not been laid down by the Blessed One that we are not to enter the village in our waist cloth and nether garment. Why have you, O friend, gone so into the village?'
'It is true, my friends, that it has been laid down by the Blessed One that we are not to enter the village so, but I did it out of thoughtlessness.'
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
3. 'There are five reasons, O Bhikkhus, for laying
aside the robe 1--when he (the Bhikkhu) is sick, when it is the appointed time for keeping the rainy season 2, when it is necessary to go to the other side of a river, when the vihâra has been securely fastened with a bolt 3, when the Kathina ceremony has been performed 4. These, O Bhikkhus, are the five reasons for laying aside the robe (Samghâti).
'There are five reasons, O Bhikkhus, for laying aside the waist cloth and the nether garment. [The reasons are the same as in the last paragraph.] These, O Bhikkhus, are the five reasons, &c.
'There are five reasons for laying aside the garment for use in the rainy season--when he is sick, when it is necessary to go beyond the boundary (?) 5, when it is necessary to go to the other side of a river, when the vihâra has been securely fastened with a bolt, when the garment for use in the rainy
season has not been made, or has been left unfinished 1.
'These, O Bhikkhus, are the five reasons,' &c.
232:3 For the rule as to such depositing, see the 29th Nissaggiya. p. 233 Kîvara (robe) must here be used for Samghâti. See our note on VIII, 13, 5, and section 2, below, where samghâti occurs.
233:1 On Santaruttara, see the 7th Nissaggiya. It is clear from this passage that Buddhaghosa was right in his limitation of the word as used in that rule; and we should have done better, therefore, to follow it in our translation of the rule.
233:2 Compare the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Sekhiyas, and the 2nd Nissaggiya; and also above, VII, 1, 3.
234:1 Here the word used is Samghâti.
234:2 On samketa, compare II, 8, 1. Buddhaghosa merely says here, Vassika-samketan ti kattâro mâse. As samketa implies a mutual agreement, the 'appointed time' here probably means, not the time fixed by the Buddha, but the time agreed upon by the Samgha as that to which the rule laid down by the Buddha should apply. There may easily have arisen questions as to the exact day on which the four months should properly begin; and there were even differences of opinion as to the exact length of the period itself, some making it three, and some four months. See on these points Childers, under Vassa and Vassûpanâyikâ.
234:3 From fear of thieves.
234:4 See the and Nissaggiya, and above, VII, 1, 3.
234:5 Buddhaghosa has nothing on this reason. It would seem that the garment in question might be left behind when the Bhikkhu had to go on a journey, if that journey would take him beyond the boundary of the technical 'residence.' On the use of the word, see the passages collected by H.-O. in the Index to the Pâli Text (vol. ii. p. 349, s.v. sîmâ.).
235:1 It is evident from this last reason that the reasons are not such as would justify a Bhikkhu in laying aside the garment in such a way as to remain naked, but such as would justify him in not using the rainy-season garment when he might otherwise have done so. In the five cases mentioned he might wear the nether garment only reaching from above the navel to below the knees, instead of the garment for the rainy season, which was smaller in size. See our note above on VIII, 13, 5, and VIII, 15, 15.