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10. Abbhokāsikaṅgakathā[x. The Open-Air-Dweller’s Practice]
Abbhokāsikaṅgampi ‘‘channañca rukkhamūlañca paṭikkhipāmi,x. The open-air-dweller’s practice is undertaken with one of the following statements: “I refuse a roof and a tree root”
abbhokāsikaṅgaṃ samādiyāmī’’ti imesaṃ aññataravacanena samādinnaṃ hoti.or “I undertake the open-air-dweller’s practice.”
Tassa pana abbhokāsikassa dhammassavanāya vā uposathatthāya vā uposathāgāraṃ pavisituṃ vaṭṭati.An open-air dweller is allowed to enter the Uposatha-house for the purpose of hearing the Dhamma or for the purpose of the Uposatha.
Sace paviṭṭhassa devo vassati, deve vassamāne anikkhamitvā vassūparame nikkhamitabbaṃ.If it rains while he is inside, he can go out when the rain is over instead of going out while it is still raining.
Bhojanasālaṃ vā aggisālaṃ vā pavisitvā vattaṃ kātuṃ, bhojanasālāya there bhikkhū bhattena āpucchituṃ,He is allowed to enter the eating hall or the fire room in order to do the duties, or to go under a roof in order to ask elder bhikkhus in the eating hall about a meal,
uddisantena vā uddisāpentena vā channaṃ pavisituṃ, bahi dunnikkhittāni mañcapīṭhādīni anto pavesetuñca vaṭṭati.or when teaching and taking lessons, or to take beds, chairs, etc., inside that have been wrongly left outside.
Sace maggaṃ gacchantena vuḍḍhatarānaṃ parikkhāro gahito hoti, deve vassante maggamajjhe ṭhitaṃ sālaṃ pavisituṃ vaṭṭati.If he is going along a road with a requisite belonging to a senior and it rains, he is allowed to go into a wayside rest house.
Sace na kiñci gahitaṃ hoti, sālāya ṭhassāmīti vegena gantuṃ na vaṭṭati.If he has nothing with him, he is not allowed to hurry in order to get to a rest house;
Pakatigatiyā gantvā paviṭṭhena pana yāva vassūparamā ṭhatvā gantabbanti idamassa vidhānaṃ. Rukkhamūlikassāpi eseva nayo.but he can go at his normal pace and enter it and stay there as long as it rains. These are the directions for it. And the same rule applies to the tree-root dweller too.
Pabhedato pana ayampi tividho hoti.This has three grades too.
Tattha ukkaṭṭhassa rukkhaṃ vā pabbataṃ vā gehaṃ vā upanissāya vasituṃ na vaṭṭati.Herein, one who is strict is not allowed to live near a tree or a rock or a house.
Abbhokāseyeva cīvarakuṭiṃ katvā vasitabbaṃ.He should make a robe-tent right out in the open and live in that.
Majjhimassa rukkhapabbatagehāni upanissāya anto appavisitvā vasituṃ vaṭṭati.The medium one is allowed to live near a tree or a rock or a house so long as he is not covered by them.
Mudukassa acchannamariyādaṃ pabbhārampi sākhāmaṇḍapopi pīṭhapaṭopi khettarakkhakādīhi chaḍḍitā tatraṭṭhakakuṭikāpi vaṭṭatīti.The mild one is allowed these: a [rock] overhang without a drip-ledge cut in it,[^15] a hut of branches, cloth stiffened with paste, and a tent treated as a fixture, that has been left by field watchers, and so on.
Imesaṃ pana tiṇṇampi vāsatthāya channaṃ vā rukkhamūlaṃ vā paviṭṭhakkhaṇe dhutaṅgaṃ bhijjati.The moment any one of these three goes under a roof or to a tree root to dwell there, his ascetic practice is broken.
Jānitvā tattha aruṇaṃ uṭṭhāpitamatteti aṅguttarabhāṇakā. Ayamettha bhedo.The reciters of the Aṅguttara say that it is broken as soon as he knowingly meets the dawn there. This is the breach in this case.
Ayaṃ panānisaṃso, āvāsapalibodhupacchedo, thinamiddhapanūdanaṃ,The benefits are these: the impediment of dwellings is severed; stiffness and torpor are expelled;
‘‘migā viya asaṅgacārino, aniketā viharanti bhikkhavo’’ti (saṃ. ni. 1.224) pasaṃsāya anurūpatā, nissaṅgatā, cātuddisatā, appicchatādīnaṃ anulomavuttitāti.his conduct deserves the praise “Like deer the bhikkhus live unattached and homeless” (S I 199); he is detached; he is [free to go in] any direction; he lives in conformity with [the principles of] fewness of wishes, and so on.
Anagāriyabhāvassa, anurūpe adullabhe; Tārāmaṇivitānamhi, candadīpappabhāsite.The open air provides a life That aids the homeless bhikkhu’s strife, Easy to get, and leaves his mind Alert as a deer, so he shall find
Abbhokāse vasaṃ bhikkhu, migabhūtena cetasā; Thinamiddhaṃ vinodetvā, bhāvanārāmataṃ sito.Stiffness and torpor brought to halt. Under the star-bejewelled vault The moon and sun furnish his light, And concentration his delight.
Pavivekarasassādaṃ, nacirasseva vindati; Yasmā tasmā hi sappañño, abbhokāsarato siyāti.The joy seclusion’s savour gives He shall discover soon who lives In open air; and that is why The wise prefer the open sky.
Ayaṃ abbhokāsikaṅge samādānavidhānappabhedabhedānisaṃsavaṇṇanā.This is the commentary on the undertaking, directions, grades, breach, and benefits, in the case of the open-air-dweller’s practice.