SUTTA 85

[^816]: . Prince Bodhi was the son of King Udena of Kosambī; his mother was the daughter of King Candappajjota of Avantī. The portion of the sutta from §2 through §8 is also found at Vin Cv Kh 5 / ii.127-29, where it leads to the formulation of the rule mentioned in the following note.

[^817]: MA explains that Prince Bodhi was childless and desired a son. He had heard that people can fulfil their wishes by making special offerings to the Buddha, so he spread the white cloth with the idea: "If I am to have a son, the Buddha will step on the cloth; if I am not to have a son, he will not step on the cloth." The Buddha knew that by reason of past evil kamma, he and his wife were destined to remain childless. Hence he did not step on the cloth. Later he laid down a disciplinary rule prohibiting the bhikkhus from stepping on a white cloth, but subsequently modified the rule to allow bhikkhus to step on a cloth as a blessing for householders.

[^818]: Pacchimaṁ janataṁ Tathägato apaloketi. The Vin version here reads anukampati, "has compassion," which is preferable. MA explains that Ven. Ānanda said this with the thought in mind: "In later times people will come to regard honour to the bhikkhus as a way of ensuring the fulfilment of their mundane wishes and will lose faith in the Sangha if their displays of honour do not bring the success they desire."

[^819]: This is the basic tenet of the Jains, as at MN 14.20.