四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 3.26

3.26

3. The color being in accordance with the Dharma. The Dharmaguptaka Vinaya states: "One must not keep robes dyed with primary colors; they must be disfigured to a kāṣāya color (this means dyeing with an improper color, which has an exact translation); if one makes a five-patch robe (pāṃśukūla), it is permitted. Small scraps of primary colors cut to make a five-patch robe are also permitted." The Nirvāṇa-sūtra states: "It is permitted to receive clothing, leather, and so forth. Although one is permitted to keep various kinds of clothing, it must be of a disfigured color." The Daśādhyāya-vinaya states: "One must not wear robes of the five pure colors: blue/green, yellow, red, white, or black, except for patched robes." The Prātimokṣa has three colors: blue/green, mud-color, and bark/brown. The Sarvāstivāda-vinaya-vibhāṣā states: "Robes of the five primary colors do not constitute [proper material] for taking and making the three robes; they may be made into other robes to wear. The three-dot purification uses dark blue, black, or blue/green. Except for the three robes, other robes receive the three-dot purification. If one obtains black or magnolia-bark color, all may be received. Pure blue/green, light blue, cyan, etc., after dot-purification, may be used as robe linings; if red, white, or yellow are not pure primary colors, they are also permitted. If dyed with an unlawful color and then dyed over with a lawful color, taking and keeping it is valid. Kāṣāya means 'dyed' in Qin [Chinese]; just as the fetters of attachment and so forth are also termed 'defilement/dye'. True purple, sappanwood, rehmannia-yellow, wild-apple yellow, and flower-yellow are all unlawful." The Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya states: "Pure crimson, saffron-dye, safflower-dye, dark black, pure indigo-dye, and variegated floral colors are not permitted to be used; roots, leaves, flowers, tree bark, down to cow-dung juice and the like are permitted to be used." The Prātimokṣa specifies blue/green, black, and magnolia-bark color. Below, dyeing methods are explained at length. Blue/green refers to verdigris; black refers to mixed mud and the like; magnolia-bark refers to various fruit juices and the like. (The translators of this vinaya were in the north, where it was the magnolia-bark dyeing method; the Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya was translated in the Wu region, where they did not see it.) In the commandery of Shu, I personally saw the bark of the magnolia-bark tree: it is a bright reddish-black, can be used for dyeing, has a slight fragrance, and is also used by some as incense, as stated in the Samantapāsādikā. As for the five colors mentioned in the Yijiao lüwei jing, that text is not an authentic canonical record, and only the ignorant use it. The Dharmaguptaka Vinaya states: "Whether blue/green, black, or magnolia-bark color, one may disfigure it with any of these colors as one pleases." The Samantapāsādikā states: "The 'ehi bhikṣu' had an earthenware bowl slung over his left shoulder, wore a blue/green kāṣāya, with a bright reddish tone (this corresponds to the magnolia-bark color)." If one sees a monk wearing robes of the five primary colors, a person of wisdom should say: "This is a monk who has lost his robes to thieves" (according to this, pure red is not permissible to receive). Based on the above Vinayas, treatises, and sūtras, pure colors are never permitted; they must be disfigured. If not disfigured, taking, keeping, and wearing them are invalid; wearing them incurs an offense as explained in "Conformity with Characteristics."