Chapter 26 Section 7 Jiedao

Jiedao is a free translation of Sanskrit Sastraka, also translated as "knife".It is a small prop used by monks to shave hair, cut nails, and cut clothes.Tweezers is the free translation of Sanskrit Ajapadaka-danda, abbreviated as tweezers.It is used for plucking nose hair and thorns in the flesh.They can be called representative props for monks to cut.In fact, especially knives, there have been many varieties evolved in history. Volume 39 of "Ten Chanting Law" records: The Buddha is in Sravasti.At that time, all the monks had long hair... At that time, there was a man who shaved his hair and became a monk.The monk said: "If the Buddha listens to my animal razor and shaves the monk's hair, it is good!" This matter is to the Buddha, and the Buddha said: "Listen to the animal razor and shave the monk's hair."

The following is a parallel description: the bhikkhu wanted to store claw-cutting knives to cut nails for monks, and the Buddha agreed;The following is another bhikkhuni who was a barber before becoming a monk. He wanted to do these three things for the nuns, and the Buddha agreed. It is recorded in Volume 26 of "The Law of Five Parts": At that time, the bhikkhus raised their heads, and their hearts were not happy with the way, and there were those who returned to the vulgar way and became heretics.The white-clothed monks scoffed and said: "I grow my hair in white clothes, and the monk Shizi does the same! What's the difference? But with bad color, I cut off the clothes and just cut off the ears!" The monks thought that it was the white Buddha, and the Buddha said: "You should not grow your hair. The offender Tujiluo!" The monks shaved their hair in the dining room, lecture hall, and greenhouse, and worshiped the Buddha. The Buddha said: "No! If you are old and sick, you can listen to it in the greenhouse." At that time, the monks followed suit. Shaving, so the Buddha said: "There is no need to follow the time. If there is an urgent matter, listen to the first shave; if there is no urgent matter, the one who washes first will shave first." At that time, the monks shaved their hair everywhere in the court without sweeping.Therefore, the Buddha said, "You should shave in one place. The shaving has been swept away, and if you bury it in water or fire. If there is no barber, the monk who can shave will listen to it. Listen to the animal razor." There are monks. The hair in the nose grows long, and the Buddha said: "Listen to the animal tweezers to pull it out." The monks then used gold and silver as tweezers, and the Buddha said: "No! Listen to copper, iron, teeth, horns, bamboo, wood - to remove lacquer trees. . . . " Some bhikkhus had stuffed ears, and the Buddha said, "Listen to animals picking ears." The same goes for the others.Some monks ate between the teeth, resulting in bad breath. The Buddha said: "Listen to the teeth of animals." The same is true for others.

The above is: the place for shaving and cleaning, the quality of tweezers, and the use of ear picks and toothpicks. The third volume of "Vinaya Miscellaneous Things" talks about the tailor knife and its material and length: Fate was in the city of Shifaluo. At that time, Zhu Bi wanted to cut three clothes, but he tore them with his hands, and the clothes were damaged.By virtue of Bai Buddha, the Buddha said: "You should not cut your hands, but you can cut them with a knife." The World-Honored One promised himself that sometimes he would like to cut his clothes, and he went to the common people and said: "Layman: I need a knife, and I want to cut my clothes. " He replied: "I will go." After the clothes have been cut, return them to the other person.The layman reported: "This is giving to each other." The answer: "The World Honored One does not allow it." In order to meet the Buddha, the Buddha said: "I will accept the animal knife." , pears and various treasures, and other variegated and various rare treasures to decorate the handle.At that time, the vulgar travelers saw it and asked, "Holy One, what is this?" They replied, "The World Honored One listens to the knives of animals." He said, "Benevolent people still have desires to haunt their hearts!" Buddha, the Buddha said: "You must chew! You should not use gold, silver, glass, pear and other precious treasures, and other rare and rare treasures of various colors to decorate the handle of your knife." "If you need a knife, use pure iron to make it." long.The common man asked again: "What is this?" The answer: "This is a knife, the World Honored One listens to animals." He said: "Holy One: This is a big knife, not a knife." In order to follow the Buddha, the Buddha said: "It must be chewed. Animals have long knives." He made such a small work that he couldn't bear to cut things.The Buddha said: "You should know that there are three kinds of knives: large, medium, and small. The large one has six fingers, and the small one has four fingers. The two are called middle. There are two shapes: one is like a bird's feather, and the other is like a chicken. Ling. Should not be straight."

The thirty-seventh volume of "Ten Chanting Law" also specifically mentions the shape of a knife: At that time, a bhikkhu had expensive clothes (materials), which he washed clean in the water, and wanted to cut them into clothes.Gnaw its sides with teeth, if they are torn apart.This garment is torn vertically and horizontally.The Buddha said: "From now on, listen to the moon-head knife and use it to cut clothes." There are also mentions of this kind of knife with a "sword head like a moon blade" in other classics, so I won't repeat them here.As can be seen in the drawing, this kind of knife with a half-moon-shaped blade is also used for shaving hair.For example, in the third mural "Shaving Picture" on the left wall of Cave 31 of Bezeklik Grottoes in Turpan, Xinjiang, there is a picture of using this half-moon-shaped razor to shave hair.The razors used by ancient Chinese barbers are also not too long and have a half-moon blade shape, but the width of the blade is slightly narrower.For example, in the mural of "Maitreya's Next Life Sutra" painted in the Tang Dynasty on the north wall of Cave 445 of Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, the often praised "Picture of Bhikkhuni's Enlightenment and Shaving", the razor used for shaving is also this half-moon shape, or A slightly narrower bird-feather-shaped razor.Interestingly, until 1949, the author saw this kind of "Chinese-style" "moon-head razor" being used on shaving picks in Beijing's alleys and small barbershops in the countryside, even knives such as Lao Wang Mazi. Shears are also on sale.It is completely different from the straight razor used by European men who were introduced to China in modern times.

The knives used by monks such as razors and tailor knives are collectively called Jiedao. Volume 5 of "Baizhang Qinggui" is quoted as saying: ""Seng Shi Lue" (the author's note: "The Song Dynasty Monk Shi Lue" volume) says: Jie knives are props, and all evils are shown." "Shishi Yaolan" volume According to the "Seng Shilue" in the article "Jie Dao": "Jing Dao is a prop. According to the law, it is allowed to store moon-headed knives for the purpose of cutting clothes. Today, monks who store knives named 'Jing' are not allowed to cut everything. Vegetation is a village of evil ghosts and gods. Vegetation is a precept, not to mention other things.” The above explained that the Qing regulations stipulated this because Sakyamuni Buddha forbade the use of tools like knives to cut off all vegetation, thinking that destroying living things is a For the sake of evil.Killing is of course even worse.Besides, it is very difficult to kill with such a four-finger long knife.In the Chinese martial arts novels we often read, it is mentioned that a weapon commonly used by monks is the "Jie Dao", which is completely different from the above-mentioned razor and other Jie Dao. It is a weapon created by Chinese martial artists themselves.Not to mention further, according to the illustrations of various Ming edition novels, let’s take the two Jiedao used by the most famous Wu Song as an example. Its shape is very similar to the waist knives that were widely equipped in the troops of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

In Buddhist Vinaya classics, there are a lot of Shakyamuni Buddha’s earnest teachings that monks are not allowed to use martial arts. Even monks who know martial arts before becoming a monk are forbidden to show off their abilities, and they are not allowed to stay in the military camp for a long time.However, Buddhism also eliminates evil and guides people to be good. When you meet a wicked person who is heinous, you really can’t influence them. If you become ignorant for a while, and you prescribe the precept of killing, the World-Honored One should acquiesce.Besides, when you travel abroad, you have to have some self-defense skills.It is really a last resort for Chinese monks to practice martial arts!