Mahavagga, Khandaka 5, Chapter 9

1. Now when the Blessed One had remained at Bhaddiya as long as he thought fit, he set out on a journey towards Sāvatthi. And walking from place to place he arrived at Sāvatthi. There the Blessed One dwelt at Sāvatthi at the Jetavana, Anātha-piṇḍika's Grove.

2. Now at that time the Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus used to catch hold of the heifers crossing on the Aciravatī River by their horns, or ears, or dewlaps, or tails^[1], or spring up upon their backs, or touch with lustful thoughts their privy parts: and they used to duck the young calves and so kill them. People were annoyed, murmured, and became angry, saying, 'How can the Sakyaputtiya Samaṇas [act thus]? it is like men still enjoying the pleasures of the world.'

And Bhikkhus heard them murmuring in annoyance and indignation: and those Bhikkhus told this thing to the Blessed One.

'Is it true' (&c., see chap. 4. 2)?

'It is true, Lord.'

He rebuked them, and having delivered a religious discourse, he addressed the Bhikkhus, and said:

'Heifers are not to be caught hold of, O Bhikkhus, by their horns, or their ears, or their dewlaps, or their tails. You are not to get up on their backs. Whosoever gets up on their backs, is guilty of a dukkaṭa offence. And their privy parts, O Bhikkhus, are not to be touched with lustful thoughts. Whosoever does so, is guilty of a thullaccaya offence. And calves ought not to be killed. Whosoever kills them, let him be dealt with according to law^[2].'

3. Now at that time the Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus used to have themselves carried in vehicles to which cows were yoked with a bull between them, or bulls were yoked with a cow between them^[3]. People were annoyed, murmured, and became angry, saying, 'That is as is done at the Feast of the Gaṅgā and the Mahī^[4].' They told this thing to the Blessed One.

'Do not have yourselves carried in vehicles, O Bhikkhus. Whosoever does so, is guilty of a dukkaṭa offence.'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

On cheppā, compare Sutta-vibhaṅga I, 6; and Böhtlingk-Roth under śepa and parucchepa.

[2]:

See the 61st Pācittiya Rule.

[3]:

Buddhaghosa explains this passage in a different way: Itthi-yuttenā ’ti dhenu-yuttena. Purisantarenā ’ti purisa-sārathinā. Purisa-yuttenā ’ti goṇa-yuttena. Itthantarenā ’ti itthi-sārathinā.

[4]:

Gaṅgā-mahiyāyā ’ti Gaṅgā-mahī-kiḷikāya (B.). It is possible That Mahī may here mean the Earth; but it is probably the well-known affluent of the Ganges, which is one of the Mahānadīs. Compare Cullavagga IX, 1, 3, Spence Hardy's 'Manual,' p. 17, and the Dhaniya Sutta in the Sutta Nipāta.