stock phrase about men?

[L.S. Cousins]

As regards the eight ways in which men bind women (and vice versa) 
given at A IV 196f.:

  "aÝÝhahi, bhikkhave, åkårehi puriso itthiµ bandhati. katamehi 
aÝÝhahi? ru––ena, bhikkhave, puriso itthiµ bandhati; hasitena, 
bhikkhave, puriso itthiµ bandhati; bha–itena, bhikkhave, puriso 
itthiµ bandhati; åkappena, bhikkhave, puriso itthiµ bandhati; 
vanabha†gena, bhikkhave, puriso itthiµ bandhati; gandhena, bhikkhave, 
puriso itthiµ bandhati; rasena, bhikkhave, puriso itthiµ bandhati; 
phassena, bhikkhave, puriso itthiµ bandhati. imehi kho, bhikkhave, 
aÝÝhahåkårehi puriso itthiµ bandhati. te, bhikkhave, sattå subaddhå, 
ye phassena baddhå" ti. (Normyn font)

The Pali expression vanabha'nga does not seem problematic in 
isolation. It is explained consistently both by Buddhaghosa in the 
A'nguttara commentary and in more detail in a series of Vinaya 
commentaries beginning with Sp III 527 & 529. Vanabha'nga is simply 
any growing thing gathered in the countryside (lit. forest) i.e. 
flowers, foliage and the like and (in this case) used in 
inter-personal relations or sexual play. (I notice one Sanskrit 
occurrence by the way - in the Raamaaya.na:
50480033 vanabha'nge ca ko 'syaartho raak.sasiinaa.m ca tarjane)

As has been suggested, an earlier Prakrit form va.na- could either 
correspond to Sanskrit vana- or to Sanskrit vra.na-. So the Sanskrit 
sources cited could be following an older tradition of interpretation 
too. Or, we might be dealing with later more learned 'etymology'.

Lance Cousins