Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c25.31

c25.31

**Buddhist limitations to solitary life.** The fact of the matter is that even among Bhikkhus who live in the solitude of the woods, it is very unusual for them to live absolutely alone without having other Bhikkhus in the neighbourhood. "The provisions of the laws of the Order are wholly based on the supposition that small knots of brethren living near each other come together, who depend on each other to unite for confession, to instruct one another, to strengthen one another in doubt and temptation, to care for one another in sickness, and to keep up spiritual discipline among themselves. For,' says the old confessional formula, 'the band of the disciples of the Exalted One is so bound together that one exhorts the other and one stabilishes the other'" [ib., p. 364]. But besides the need of attending confessional meetings, the solitude of the Bhikkhus living in forests was further limited by the needs of life itself. They had to live sufficiently close to a village to be able to reach it on their daily begging rounds [*Chullav.*, viii, 6]. We have already noticed the case of a Bhikkhu living in the forest being visited by guests whom he fed by begging for alms. We have also referred to the size of the standard hut for the dwelling of the solitary Bhikkhu and the need of its site being free from the dangers of forest life, although it must be "in solitude and quiet where the wild beasts have their dwelling and the gazelles" (quoted in Oldenberg's *Buddha*, p. 360 n.).