Dear Rett,

> >Can anybody improve on "waist-cloth" for sanghaa.tii ? It seems a bit
> >misleading to me.
> Do you have any examples of context?

The context may not be of great help -- it features in a long list of items
etc that were accepted in the Vinayas of some Buddhist sects (ie
Muula-sarvaastivaada) which come in for considerable criticism in the
Mahayana-Mahaparinirvana-sutra, in fact, it says that such Vinayas derive
from Maara and not the Buddha !:

"Moreover, noble son, there will also be those who accept raw cereals, meat
and fish, waist-cloths pots of sesame oil; who frequent leather-makers,
parasol-makers and royalty, who engage in soothsaying and pharmacology; etc
etc etc."

I am not overly familiar with some of the vocabulary which particularly
occur in Vinaya literature -- the problem compouned for me because I am
working from Tibetan and Chinese in the absence.
Another term for a banned item which I am trying to find a Skt / Pali
equivalent literally translates as "boiled great medicinal ghee". I am
pursuing this myself but any ideas ??

Best wishes,
Stephen Hodge