Hi Stephen,

How about "inner robe" or maybe "patchwork-cloak" ?

>
>> >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 !:

Have you looked up the word in the PED? There it's listed as a normal
one of the three robes of a Bhikkhu (in Theravaada, of course). It
might be the innermost one, like the underwear. Walshe translates as
"inner robe" at D I.70 (in describing how a Bhikkhu is mindful with
clear comprehension: sa.mghaa.ti-patta-ciivara-dhaarane
sampajaana-karii hoti). However Nanamo.li/Boddhi translate
'patchwork-cloak' at M I.281. (taking the word as mean 'thrown
together' or something like that). At that same spot Horner
translated 'outer-cloak'. Hmm... anyway I thought the word looked
familiar. There are many references at that entry to Pali contexts.
There's more info at the entry for ciivara.m. If you don't have the
PED handy I can type in the other references. Many are to the
Theravada Vinaya.

It doesn't seem so puzzling after all: just ask a Bhikkhu and he
should be able to point to his Sa.mghaatii. But then it often happens
to me that what I think is a simple matter turns out to be trickier
than I thought. The riddle might be why the text you are describing
considers such standard equipment to be luxurious.Perhaps it's a
different sa.mghhatii that they're referring to. Anyhow, pardon the
rushed and non-exhaustive answer. I'm just trying to toss ideas out
there. You've probably already seen all this stuff, but it was fun
for me to look it up. :-)

Now about that supermedicinal-ghee... that one has me stumped...

hope this helps,

/Rett