Chapter X, Section 1c

Nakedness he seems to have rejected on other grounds too, if we may judge from the Sumâgadhâ-avadâna: 'A number of naked friars were assembled in the house of the daughter of Anâtha-pi nd ika. She called ber daughter-in-law, Sumâgadhâ, and said, "Go and see those highly respectable persons." Sumâgadhâ, expecting to see some of the saints, like S âriputra, Maudgalyâyana, and others, ran out full of joy. But when she saw these friars with their hair like pigeon wings, covered by nothing but dirt, offensive, and looking like demons, she became sad. "Why are you sad?" said her mother-in-law. Sumâgadhâ replied, "O mother, if these are saints, what must sinners be like?" Burnouf (Introduction, p. 312) supposed that the G ainas only, and not the Buddhists, allowed nakedness. But the G ainas, too, do not allow it universally. They are divided into two parties, the S vetambaras and Digambaras. The S vetambaras, clad in white, are the followers of Par s vanâtha, and wear clothes. The Digambaras, i.e. sky-clad, disrobed, are followers of Mahâvîra, resident chiefly in Southern India. At present they, too, wear clothing, but not when eating. See Sâstram Aiyar, p. xxi. The g a t â, or the hair platted and gathered up in a knot, was a sign of a S aiva ascetic. The sitting motionless is one of the postures assumed by ascetics. Clough explains ukku t ika as 'the act of sitting on the heels;' Wilson gives for utka t ukâsana, 'sitting on the hams.' See Fausböll, note on verse 140.] p. 39 not sitting motionless, can purify a mortal who has not overcome desires. 142. He who, though dressed in fine apparel, exercises tranquillity, is quiet, subdued, restrained, chaste, and has ceased to find fault with all other beings, he indeed is a Brâhma n a, an ascetic ( s rama n a), a friar (bhikshu). 143. Is there in this world any man so restrained by humility that he does not mind reproof, as a well-trained horse the whip? 144. Like a well-trained horse when touched by [142. As to da nd anidhâna, see Mahâbh. XII, 6559, and Sutta-nipâta, v. 34 . 143, 144. I am very doubtful as to the real meaning of these verses. If their object is to show how reproof or punishment should be borne, my translation would be right, though alpabodhati in the sense of parvi facere is strange.] p. 40 the whip, be ye active and lively, and by faith, by virtue, by energy, by meditation, by discernment of the law you will overcome this great pain (of reproof), perfect in knowledge and in behaviour, and never forgetful. 145. Well-makers lead the water (wherever they like); fletchers bend the arrow; carpenters bend a log of wood; good people fashion themselves. [145. The same as verse 80 . According to Fausböll and Subhûti we ought to render the verses by, 'What man is there found on earth so restrained by shame that he never provokes reproof, as a good horse the whip?' See Childers, s.v.