1"Bhikkhus, when it is new, cloth made of bark fabric[n.541] I translate potthako based on Mp's gloss vākamayavatthaṁ. is ugly, uncomfortable, and of little value. When it has been worn,[n.542] Text uses majjhimo, lit. "of middle age." cloth made of bark fabric is ugly, uncomfortable, and of little value. When it is old, cloth made of bark fabric is still ugly, uncomfortable, and of little value. They use old cloth made of bark fabric for cleaning pots or they discard it on a rubbish heap.

1"Navopi, bhikkhave, potthako dubbaṇṇo ca hoti dukkhasamphasso ca appaggho ca; majjhimopi, bhikkhave, potthako dubbaṇṇo ca hoti dukkhasamphasso ca appaggho ca; jiṇṇopi, bhikkhave, potthako dubbaṇṇo ca hoti dukkhasamphasso ca appaggho ca. Jiṇṇampi, bhikkhave, potthakaṁ ukkhaliparimajjanaṁ vā karonti saṅkārakūṭe vā naṁ chaḍḍenti.

2(1) (i)[n.543] There are two triads in this sutta. Both the immoral and the virtuous monk are distinguished into the junior, the one of middle standing, and the elder, and this distinction forms a triad. Yet under each type, three statements are made—about the monk himself, his effect on those who associate with him, and the merit gained by gifts to him—which also constitute a triad. I indicate the major triad with Arabic numerals and the minor one with small Roman numerals. "So too, bhikkhus, if a junior bhikkhu is immoral, of bad character, this, I say, counts as his ugliness. Just as cloth made of bark fabric is ugly, so, I say, this person is similar.

(ii) "For those who associate with him, resort to him, attend on him, and follow his example, this leads to their harm and suffering for a long time. This, I say, counts as his uncomfortableness. Just as cloth made of bark fabric is uncomfortable, so, I say, this person is similar.

(iii) "When he accepts a robe, almsfood, lodging, and medicines and provisions for the sick, this acceptance is not of great fruit and benefit for those who offer such things. This, I say, counts as his being of little value. Just as cloth made of bark fabric is of little value, so, I say, this person is similar.

(2) "If a bhikkhu of middle standing …

(3) "If an elder bhikkhu is immoral, of bad character, this, I say, counts as his ugliness …. all as above … Just as cloth made of bark fabric is of little value, so, I say, this person is similar.

2Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, navo cepi bhikkhu hoti dussīlo pāpadhammo. Idamassa dubbaṇṇatāya vadāmi. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, potthako dubbaṇṇo tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi. Ye kho panassa sevanti bhajanti payirupāsanti diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjanti, tesaṁ taṁ hoti dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya. Idamassa dukkhasamphassatāya vadāmi. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, potthako dukkhasamphasso tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi. Yesaṁ kho pana so paṭiggaṇhāti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ, tesaṁ taṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahānisaṁsaṁ. Idamassa appagghatāya vadāmi. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, potthako appaggho tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi. Majjhimo cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hoti … pe … thero cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hoti dussīlo pāpadhammo, idamassa dubbaṇṇatāya vadāmi. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, potthako dubbaṇṇo tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi. Ye kho panassa sevanti bhajanti payirupāsanti diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjanti, tesaṁ taṁ hoti dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya. Idamassa dukkhasamphassatāya vadāmi. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, potthako dukkhasamphasso tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi. Yesaṁ kho pana so paṭiggaṇhāti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ, tesaṁ taṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahānisaṁsaṁ. Idamassa appagghatāya vadāmi. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, potthako appaggho tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

3"If such an elder bhikkhu speaks in the midst of the Saṅgha, the bhikkhus say to him: ‘What gives you, an incompetent fool, the right to speak? Do you think you too are entitled to speak?’ He then becomes angry and displeased and utters speech on account of which the Saṅgha expels him, as if discarding the clothing made of bark fabric on the rubbish heap.[n.544] In Ee, this sentence marks the end of this sutta and the next paragraph the beginning of a new one. I follow Ce and Be, which treat the passage on the cloth from Kāsi as a continuation of the same sutta. My numbering will now exceed that of Ee by one.

3Evarūpo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, thero bhikkhu saṅghamajjhe bhaṇati. Tamenaṁ bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu:  ‘kiṁ nu kho tuyhaṁ bālassa abyattassa bhaṇitena, tvampi nāma bhaṇitabbaṁ maññasī’ti. So kupito anattamano tathārūpiṁ vācaṁ nicchāreti yathārūpāya vācāya saṅgho taṁ ukkhipati, saṅkārakūṭeva naṁ potthakaṁ.

4"When it is new, bhikkhus, cloth from Kāsi is beautiful, comfortable, and of great value. When it has been worn, cloth from Kāsi is beautiful, comfortable, and of great value. When it is old, cloth from Kāsi is beautiful, comfortable, and of great value. They use old cloth from Kāsi as a wrapping for gems or they deposit it in a fragrant casket.

4Navampi, bhikkhave, kāsikaṁ vatthaṁ vaṇṇavantañceva hoti sukhasamphassañca mahagghañca; majjhimampi, bhikkhave, kāsikaṁ vatthaṁ vaṇṇavantañceva hoti sukhasamphassañca mahagghañca; jiṇṇampi, bhikkhave, kāsikaṁ vatthaṁ vaṇṇavantañceva hoti sukhasamphassañca mahagghañca. Jiṇṇampi, bhikkhave, kāsikaṁ vatthaṁ ratanapaliveṭhanaṁ vā karoti gandhakaraṇḍake vā naṁ pakkhipanti.

5(1) (i) "So too, if a junior bhikkhu is virtuous, of good character, this, I say, counts as his beauty. Just as cloth from Kāsi is beautiful, so, I say, this person is similar.
ii "For those who associate with him, resort to him, attend on him, and follow his example, this leads to their welfare and happiness for a long time. This, I say, counts as his comfortableness. Just as cloth from Kāsi is comfortable, so, I say, this person is similar.
iii "When he accepts a robe, almsfood, lodging, and medicines and provisions for the sick, this acceptance is of great fruit and benefit for those who offer such things. This, I say, counts as his being of great value. Just as cloth from Kāsi is of great value, so, I say, this person is similar.

5Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, navo cepi bhikkhu hoti sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo, idamassa suvaṇṇatāya vadāmi. Seyyathāpi taṁ, bhikkhave, kāsikaṁ vatthaṁ vaṇṇavantaṁ tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Ye kho panassa sevanti bhajanti payirupāsanti diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjanti, tesaṁ taṁ hoti dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāya. Idamassa sukhasamphassatāya vadāmi. Seyyathāpi taṁ, bhikkhave, kāsikaṁ vatthaṁ sukhasamphassaṁ tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Yesaṁ kho pana so paṭiggaṇhāti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ, tesaṁ taṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahānisaṁsaṁ. Idamassa mahagghatāya vadāmi. Seyyathāpi taṁ, bhikkhave, kāsikaṁ vatthaṁ mahagghaṁ tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

(2) "If a bhikkhu of middle standing …

Majjhimo cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hoti … pe …

(3) "If an elder bhikkhu is virtuous, of good character, this, I say, counts as his beauty …. all as above … Just as cloth from Kāsi is of great value, so, I say, this person is similar.

thero cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hoti … pe … puggalaṁ vadāmi.

6"If such an elder bhikkhu speaks in the midst of the Saṅgha, the bhikkhus say: ‘Please let the venerable ones be quiet. An elder bhikkhu is speaking on the Dhamma and the discipline.’ Those words of his should be preserved, just as they deposit a cloth from Kāsi in a fragrant casket.[n.545] Tassa taṁ vacanaṁ ādheyyaṁ gacchati gandhakaraṇḍake va naṁ kāsikavatthaṁ nikkhipanti. This last sentence is included in Ee, in brackets, but not in Ce or Be. However, Pp 34,37 –35,1, on tayo kāsikavatthūpamā puggalā, includes this sentence (but without nikkhipanti). I include it because the simile is a fitting counterpart to the one just above about expelling an immoral elder.

6Evarūpo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, thero bhikkhu saṅghamajjhe bhaṇati. Tamenaṁ bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu:  ‘appasaddā āyasmanto hotha, thero bhikkhu dhammañca vinayañca bhaṇatī’ti.

"Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will be like cloth from Kāsi, not like cloth made of bark fabric.’ It is in such a way that you should train yourselves."

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:  ‘kāsikavatthūpamā bhavissāma, na potthakūpamā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.