Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c19.s6.1

v1.c19.s6.1

For the dress of monks, *paṃsukūlacīvara* was the rule while linen, cotton, silk, woollen garments, coarse cloth, hempen (*khomaṃ kappāsikaṃ koseyyaṃ kambalaṃ sāṇaṃ bhaṅgaṃ*)¹ were extra concessions (*atirekalābha*). It was at the instance of Jīvaka Komārabhacca that Buddha permitted his followers to accept the robes (*cīvaras*) offered by laymen. These could be made of six kinds of materials mentioned above.² A monk was allowed only three garments (*cīvaras*), viz., saṃghāṭi, uttarāsaṅgha and antarāvāsaka.³ The cīvaras had to be made out of cut pieces of cloth so that when sewn together should look like cultivated fields.⁴ There are several rules relating to the dyeing of cīvaras, drying dyed cloths, division and distribution of the cīvaras among the recipients, and so forth. In division and distribution many difficulties cropped up, leading to the creation of office-bearers like *cīvarabhājaka* (distributor of robes), *bhaṇḍāgāra* (store-keeper), *cīvaranidāhaka* (keeper of robes), and *cīvarapaṭiggāhaka*, (receiver of robes). Each of these office-bearers were formally appointed by the Saṅgha by unanimous consent.⁵ The Pātimokkha-sutta takes notice of several irregularities in the distribution and use of cīvaras and so prescribes punishments for the irregularities. Besides cīvaras, the bhikkhus were allowed to accept mantles (*pāvara*), blankets (*kambala*), towels (*mukhapuñchaka colaka*), bags (*parikkhāracolaka*), bathing clothes (*udakasāṭika*), and bandages for itches, wounds, etc. (*kaṇḍupaṭicchādi*)⁶ It cannot be definitely stated when the use of shoes by monks came into vogue. According to the tradition, permission was granted by Buddha for the use of shoes when Sāgata was the servitor of Buddha. Once the privilege was given, there were abuses, and to counteract these several restrictions had to be imposed regarding colour, shape and materials of the shoes¹ and the use of those in the cloisters (*caṅkamana*) or in the presence of the Upajjhāya, and so forth.