Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
X. Loṇa-Phala Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas
III. The Book of the Threes
X. A Grain of Salt
Sutta 97
Potthaka Suttaṃ
Rough Cloth[1]
Translated from the Pali by
F.L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
For details see Terms of Use.
[97.1] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, a bran-new fibre-cloth
is of an ill colour,
painful to handle
and of little worth.
So likewise is one of [225] middling wear
and one worn out.
Men use a worn out fibre-cloth
to wipe cooking-pots,
or cast it out upon the rubbish-heap.
§
2. In like manner,
if a novice monk be immoral
and of an ill nature,
I call this his 'ill colour.'
Just as that fibre-cloth
is of an ill colour,
so likewise I declare this[2] person to be.
■
They who follow him,
who keep company with him,
who pay deference to him
and come to share his views
find it to their loss and sorrow
for many a long day.
This I call his being 'painful to handle.'
Just as that fibre-cloth is painful to handle,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
■
Moreover, those from whom he accepts
robes and alms-food,
lodging,
supply of comforts and medicines,
find their gifts
of no great fruit and profit.
I call this his 'little worth.'
Just as that fibre-cloth
is of little worth,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
§
3. Again, monks,
in the case of a monk of middle standing
if he be immoral
and of an ill nature,
I call this his 'ill colour.'
Just as that fibre-cloth
is of an ill colour,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
■
They who follow him,
who keep company with him,
who pay deference to him
and come to share his views
find it to their loss and sorrow
for many a long day.
This I call his being 'painful to handle.'
Just as that fibre-cloth is painful to handle,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
■
Moreover, those from whom he accepts
robes and alms-food,
lodging,
supply of comforts and medicines,
find their gifts
of no great fruit and profit.
I call this his 'little worth.'
Just as that fibre-cloth
is of little worth,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
§
In the case of a senior monk
if he be immoral
and of an ill nature,
I call this his 'ill colour.'
Just as that fibre-cloth
is of an ill colour,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
■
They who follow him,
who keep company with him,
who pay deference to him
and come to share his views
find it to their loss and sorrow
for many a long day.
This I call his being 'painful to handle.'
Just as that fibre-cloth is painful to handle,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
■
Moreover, those from whom he accepts
robes and alms-food,
lodging,
supply of comforts and medicines,
find their gifts
of no great fruit and profit.
I call this his 'little worth.'
Just as that fibre-cloth
is of little worth,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
§
4. Now suppose a senior monk such as this
utters speech in the midst of the Order of Monks,
then the monks say this:
'What!
Do you presume to speak?
Of what use are words spoken by you,
a fool and void of understanding?'
Whereat he is angered and offended
and utters such[3] words
as make the Order turn him out,
just as one throws away that fibre-cloth
upon the rubbish-heap."
[225]
Sutta 98
Kāsikaṃ Vatthaṃ Suttaṃ
Cloth of Benares
[98.1] "Now, monks, Benares cloth[4] is of good colour,
pleasant to handle
and of great worth.
So likewise is Benares cloth of [226] middling wear
and even if worn out.
Men use worn out Benares cloth
to wrap gems in,
or they lay it up in a scented casket.
§
2. In like manner
if a novice monk be moral,
of a lovely nature,
I call it his 'good colour.'
Just as the Benares cloth
is of good colour,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
■
They who follow him,
who keep company with him,
who pay deference to him
and come to share his views,
find it to their profit and happiness
for many a long day.
This I call his being 'pleasant to handle.'
Just as that Benares cloth
is pleasant to handle,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
■
Moreover, those from whom he accepts
robes and alms-food,
lodging,
supply of comforts and medicines,
find their gifts of great fruit and profit.
That I call his being 'of great worth.'
Just as that Benares cloth
is of great worth,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
§
3. Again, if a monk of middle standing be moral,
of a lovely nature,
I call it his 'good colour.'
Just as the Benares cloth
is of good colour,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
They who follow him,
who keep company with him,
who pay deference to him
and come to share his views,
find it to their profit and happiness
for many a long day.
This I call his being 'pleasant to handle.'
Just as that Benares cloth
is pleasant to handle,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
■
Moreover, those from whom he accepts
robes and alms-food,
lodging,
supply of comforts and medicines,
find their gifts of great fruit and profit.
That I call his being 'of great worth.'
Just as that Benares cloth
is of great worth,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
§
4. If a senior monk be moral,
of a lovely nature,
I call it his 'good colour.'
Just as the Benares cloth
is of good colour,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
■
They who follow him,
who keep company with him,
who pay deference to him
and come to share his views,
find it to their profit and happiness
for many a long day.
This I call his being 'pleasant to handle.'
Just as that Benares cloth
is pleasant to handle,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
■
Moreover, those from whom he accepts
robes and alms-food,
lodging,
supply of comforts and medicines,
find their gifts of great fruit and profit.
That I call his being 'of great worth.'
Just as that Benares cloth
is of great worth,
so likewise I declare this person to be.
§
5. Now suppose such a senior monk as this
utter speech in the midst of the Order of Monks,
then the monks say this:
'Silence, your reverences!
A senior monk is speaking of Dhamma-Discipline!'
And his words become a treasure to be laid up,
just as a man lays up that Benares cloth
in a scented casket.[5]
Wherefore, monks,
thus must ye train yourselves:
'We will become like that Benares cloth,
not like that fibre-cloth.'
That is how ye must train yourselves."
[1] As at Pugg. iii, 10 (p. 33). Potthako, 'a cloth made of bark-fibre.' Comy. Cf. Vin. i, 306.
[2] Text should read imaṃ puggalaṃ.
[3] Text ahould read tathārūpaṃ.
[4] Aa at Pugg. 34. Comy. says 'a cloth made by weaving threads of cotton and worn in the realm of Kasi.'
[5] Ādheyyaṃ gacchati. Text brackets this sentence; but it occurs in the Pug. version.
