Lzh Sarv Bu Pm Np 16Carrying Wool

THE EḶAKALOMA SUTTA — THE WOOL-BEARER

Background

The Eḷakaloma Sutta, “The Wool-Bearer,” belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically to the Bhikkhu Pātimokkha, the collection of rules of practice for monks. This text is recorded as a precedent or practical attempt from which monastic rules were developed.

The heart of the story lies in the context of the rains retreat (vassa), when monks gathered for concentrated practice. The event records the cause for rules related to the handling of materials and property of the Sangha, especially matters concerning discipline and responsibility toward communal property.

This sutta reflects the philosophy of the Buddha-Dharma concerning attentiveness, diligence, and avoidance of the misuse of the Sangha’s resources. In the Theravāda tradition, each detail is recorded precisely because it becomes the basis for the ethical rules (sīla) that every practitioner must observe.

Main Content

According to the Pāli Canon tradition, the sutta concerns a monk named or nicknamed “the Wool-Bearer” (Eḷakaloma). This name may refer to an action or trait connected with the handling of wool, fibers, cloth (kaloma), or similar light materials. The specific content of this sutta has not yet been fully translated, but according to the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, it concerns how monks should properly handle materials belonging to the Sangha.

Issues dealt with in this group of rules include: the distinction between personal requisites allowed for use and the common property of the Sangha; the manner of storing and preserving materials; and actions that an individual monk may not perform with communal property without the approval of the Sangha community.

The sutta also refers to the principle of “Dhamma-vinaya,” the conjunction of the Buddha-Dharma and the Vinaya. Acts that fail to observe this rule give rise to violations (aparādhika) or offenses of different degrees depending on their nature and intention.