asahi wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 8:26 am
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Exactly, "bald" is the wrong word.
In Pali the relevant words are, firstly,
accha and
khalita, which mean bald (i.e., lacking hair in places where hair would be expected); secondly,
muṇḍa or
muṇḍita, which mean with one's head hair closely shaven; thirdly,
kesamassum avahaṭa, meaning with one's hair and beard both shaven; fourthly,
virala, meaning that one is going bald or has very thin hair"; and fifthly,
bhaṇḍu, which can mean either bald or shaven.
In the texts the Buddha is described as
muṇḍa or as
kesamassum avahaṭa, but never as
accha, khalita, virala or
bhaṇḍu. He, along with his disciples, is also jeered by brāhmaṇas using the derogatory expression
muṇḍaka samaṇaka, "shaveling ascetic".