大毘盧遮那經供養次第法疏 1.15

1.15

The four for clothing: wearing robes of discarded rags (pāṃśukūla), wearing robes of downy fleece, wearing patched garments, and keeping [only] the three robes. As for robes of discarded rags: clothes burned by fire, chewed by oxen, gnawed by mice, clothes of the dead, and the like. In foreign countries, such clothes as these are discarded in alleys and wildernesses; since in matter they are the same as sweepings, they are called discarded rags. The practitioner takes them, washes, dyes, sews, and mends them, using them to cover the body. Question: Why accept only this clothing? There are three grades: in the lower, one manages a livelihood through trade and business, obtaining clothing through various forms of wrong livelihood; in the intermediate, one abandons the former faults and receives clothing from the Saṅgha or clothing offered by dānapatis; in the superior, one does not receive from the Saṅgha or dānapatis, but receives discarded rags. Why not receive from the Saṅgha, but receive this clothing? According to the rules of the Saṅgha, one must jointly handle the management of Saṅgha affairs, assign work, resolve disputes, and attend to guests, which distracts the mind and abandons the Way. Why not receive from dānapatis? If one receives from dānapatis, one pursues clothing and largely falls into wrong livelihood. Furthermore, it gives rise to intimate attachment, making departure [from saṃsāra] difficult. Also, toward places where one obtains them, one becomes biased and familiar, while toward places where one does not, one becomes distant, which hinders equal salvation. Furthermore, frequently obtaining them gives rise to conceit, while failing to obtain them leads to words of resentment. Those [donors] lack knowledge, failing to recognize fields of merit where they should give and do not, or they feel self-deprecating shame and give rise to distress and regret. Furthermore, frequent visits abandon the Way, while not going invites grudge. Moreover, they may envy good people, slandering and libeling the virtuous. One does not wish to go immediately. Seeing these many faults, one therefore does not receive clothing offered by dānapatis. Why accept only discarded rags? With few affairs, one increases in the Way; free of faults, there is no transgression; therefore one accepts only them. As for robes of downy fleece: fine down washed from damp birds and beasts. When the practitioner has no discarded rags to take, he obtains this to make a robe. As for patched garments: decayed, old, torn, and tattered, one sews and patches them to cover the body, not wearing fine clothing. Why? If one seeks fine clothing, it gives rise to afflictions and brings about transgression, wasting effort and abandoning the Way. Furthermore, before fine clothing is obtained, it is an object toward which a person of the Way gives rise to greedy attachment. Also, in the wilderness, it mostly invites the perils of bandits, even reaching the loss of life. As for the three robes: the five-strip, seven-strip, and great robe (saṃghāṭī). Those of superior practice receive only these three and do not keep other robes. Why? White-robed laity seek pleasure and keep various kinds of clothes. Heterodox ascetics practice austerities, going naked without shame. The Buddha abides in the Middle Way, renouncing both extremes; therefore he keeps the three robes. Furthermore, seeking much clothing wastes effort and abandons the Way, while too little does not meet one's needs; hence one keeps the three robes. These three robes are sufficient to sustain the body. When engaged in work or walking about in ordinary matters, one wears the five-strip. For wholesome deeds, one wears the seven-strip. To transform and gather worldly people, bringing them to utmost reverence and faith, one must wear the great robe. Also, in secluded places one wears the five-strip; when entering the assembly, one wears the seven-strip; if entering royal palaces or villages, one must wear the great robe. Furthermore, when the weather is mild and warm, one wears the five-strip; when it is cold, one adds the seven-strip; when the bitter cold is severe, one adds the great robe. Thus once in the past, right in winter, the night was bitingly cold; the Tathāgata in the first watch of the night wore the five-strip; as the night advanced and grew colder, he added the seven-strip; in the final watch of the night, when the cold became intense, he added the great robe. The Buddha then had this thought: 'In future ages, good sons who cannot endure the bitter cold will find that with these three robes, it is sufficient to supply their bodies.' Because of these many reasons, one keeps the three robes.