Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c23.34

c23.34

The origin of the rule determining the dress of the Bhikkhu is traced in the texts to the need that the Buddha himself felt of using no less than four robes to protect him against the cold of one winter night he spent at Vesāli. But lest there might be "persons giving themselves up to superfluity" in the matter of clothing, he wanted to fix its limits. The maximum quantity of clothing allowed was fixed on the basis of the needs of the physically weaker brethren, "those men of good birth in this doctrine and discipline who are affected by cold and are afraid of cold." Hence the ruling: "I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of three robes (to wit), a double waist cloth, and a single upper robe, and a single under-garment" [*Mahāv.*, viii, 13].