San Mg Bu Pm Np 16Carrying Wool
Pāli / Sanskrit:Eḷakaloma
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Explanation of the Eḷakaloma Scripture (The Scripture on Carrying Wool)
Background
The Eḷakaloma scripture appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically in the Butsala section (Vinaya Piṭaka), where the rules of practice and the events leading to the establishment of Buddhist disciplinary precepts are recorded. The background of this scripture concerns practical issues in monastic life, especially economic and labor activities that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs had to carry out.
In the Buddha’s time, the monastic community (Sangha lineage) maintained itself by participating in productive work such as weaving cloth, preparing food, and managing dwellings. The Eḷakaloma scripture reflects a specific situation concerning the carrying and transporting of wool (eḷakaloma), possibly animal hair used for weaving cloth or for other work in the monastery. Through this, the Buddha clearly directed rules concerning labor, property rights, and the manner in which bhikkhus should participate in productive activities without violating the spirit of renunciation.
Main Content
The Eḷakaloma scripture refers to specific restrictions on bhikkhus when they participate in tasks of carrying and transporting, especially materials such as wool. This rule reflects an important principle in Theravāda Buddhism: bhikkhus should not attest to or own excessive property, nor should they participate in activities that create attachment to the worldly life.
Specifically, this scripture prescribes that bhikkhus must not carry or transport objects belonging to laypeople without clear permission from the monastic community. The purpose of this rule is to protect the purity (suddhi) and economic independence of the Sangha lineage, while also preventing unclear economic relationships that may lead to frivolity or cause difficulties for practice.
Through such details, the Buddha made clear that although bhikkhus need to sustain their survival, this must accord with the principles of discipline and must not cross the boundary of purity.
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