San Bu Pm Qizil Np 16Carrying Wool
Pāli / Sanskrit:Eḷakaloma
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Elakaloma Text (Carrying Wool)
Background
The Elakaloma text is found in the Vinaya Pitaka of the Pali Canon and reflects the disciplinary regulations of the early Buddhist Sangha. This collection records events and instructions of the Buddha concerning the conduct and character of bhikkhus, especially in the area of discipline and ethics.
The title "Elakaloma" (carrying wool) arises from a specific event in Sangha life. The text describes a situation involving the transport of wool, a practical task in the social context of ancient India, where wool was used for sewing garments and other articles. This event led to a disciplinary regulation intended to protect the integrity and dignity of the Sangha.
Main Content
The text records the case of certain bhikkhus who took part in transporting or handling wool in a manner not appropriate to the precepts. This work may have involved bhikkhus taking part in commerce, overexerting themselves, or doing things that could harm the image of the Sangha in the eyes of the world.
When the Buddha learned of the matter, he assembled the Sangha and taught concerning conduct unsuitable for the code of renunciants. He emphasized that worldly tasks, though they may appear ordinary, have the potential to diminish the community's trust in the Sangha. This trust, called "saddha," is the foundation for the material and spiritual support that society offers to renunciants.
From this event, the Buddha promulgated specific regulations concerning kinds of work inappropriate for bhikkhus to undertake. These regulations are recorded in the Patimokkha, the fundamental rule code of the Vinaya Pitaka, to ensure that the Sangha always maintains purity and remains worthy of people's respect.
Practical Meaning
The Elakaloma text teaches us a profound lesson concerning the social responsibility of practitioners.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.