A Re-Examination of the Shisonglü and Shisong biqiu boluotimucha jieben: Huaise 壊色 in the Section of the Pāyattika

Abstract

When a bhikṣu receives a new robe, the regulations require him to dye the robe three particular colors (huaise 壊色) before wearing it. Otherwise he commits a pāyattika 波逸提罪offense. The three colors are blue, mud, and qian 茜 (a madder or deep red) according to the Shisonglü 十誦律. However, the colors are rather blue, mud and mulan 木蘭 (magnolia) in the Shisong biqiu boluotimucha jieben 十誦比丘波羅提木叉戒本. There is one different color. In this paper, I discuss the particular colors focusing on qian and mulan.