Cullavagga - Fifth Khandhaka: Chapter 31

1. Now at that time the Bhikkhus did not use tooth-sticks 5, and their mouths
got a bad odour.
p. 147
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'There are these five disadvantages, O Bhikkhus, in not using tooth-sticks--it
is bad for the eyes 1--the mouth becomes bad-smelling--the passages by which the
flavours of the food pass are not pure--bile and phlegm get into 2 the food--and
the food does not taste well 3 to him (who does not use them). These are the
five disadvantages, O Bhikkhus, in not using tooth-sticks.'
There are five advantages, O Bhikkhus, (&c., the converse of the last)
'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, tooth-sticks.'
2. Now at that time the Khabbaggiya Bhikkhus used long tooth-sticks; and even
struck the Sâmaneras with them.
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to use long tooth-sticks.
p. 148
[paragraph continues] Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata. I allow
you, O Bhikkhus, tooth-sticks up to eight finger-breadths in length. And
Sâmaneras are not to be struck with them. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of
a dukkata.'
Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu, when using too short a tooth-stick, got it
stuck in his throat.
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to use too short a tooth-stick. Whosoever does so,
shall be guilty of a dukkata. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, tooth-sticks four
finger-breadths long at the least.'



Footnotes
146:5 Danta-kattham, not 'tooth-brushes,' as Childers translates. p. 147
Mechanical skill had not advanced so far in those days; and we hear nothing of
brushes of any kind (see above, V, 2, 3, as to hair-dressing). The
'tooth-sticks' were bits of sweet-smelling wood or root, or creeper (see Gâtaka
I, 80; Mahâvamsa, p. 23), the ends of which were to be masticated as a
dentifrice, not rubbed on the teeth. After using them the mouth was rinsed out
with water; and so in all other passages in the Khandhakas where they are
mentioned (always in reference to the duty of providing them), it is in
connection with the bringing of water for that purpose.
147:1 This has of course nothing to do with keeping the teeth white and
beautiful; that was not the purpose which the tooth-sticks were designed to
effect. There seems to have been really some idea that the use of them was good
for the eye-sight. So Buddhaghosa says here, akakkhussan ti kakkhûnam hitam ma
hoti, parihânim ganeti, quite in accordance with the Sanskrit kakshushya. The
words recur below, VI, 2, 2, in the same sense.
147:2 Pariyonandhanti. Literally, 'envelope,' 'cover.'
147:3 Na kkhâdeti. This is a different word from khâdeti, 'to cover.' It is khad
No. 2 in Böhtlingk-Roth.