Those monks thought, “It’s true what Venerable Upasena says.”

The monks heard that the Buddha had allowed those monks who stay in the wilderness, who eat only almsfood, and who wear rag robes to visit him whenever they please. Longing to see the Buddha, they discarded their blankets and undertook the practice of staying in the wilderness, of eating only almsfood, and of wearing rag robes. Soon afterwards, when the Buddha and a number of monks were walking about the dwellings, he saw discarded blankets here and there. He asked the monks, “Who owns these discarded blankets?” The monks told him. Soon afterwards he gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Well then, monks, I will lay down a training rule for the following ten reasons: for the well-being of the Sangha, for the comfort of the Sangha, for the restraint of bad people, for the ease of good monks, for the restraint of the corruptions relating to the present life, for the restraint of the corruptions relating to future lives, to give rise to confidence in those without it, to increase the confidence of those who have it, for the longevity of the true Teaching, and for supporting the training. And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling ‘If a monk is having a sitting blanket made, he must incorporate a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket in order to make it ugly.

If he has a new sitting blanket made without incorporating a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

Definitions Sitting (blanket): one with a border is what is meant. A blanket: it is made by strewing, not by weaving. Is having made: making it himself or having it made. An old blanket: even worn once. He must incorporate a piece of one standard handspan from the border in order to make it ugly: to make it strong, he cuts out a circular or a rectangular piece, and he then incorporates it in one place or he strews it on after pulling it apart.