Mahavagga, Khandaka 2, Chapter 33

1. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the resident Bhikkhus count the day as the fourteenth (of the pakkha), the incoming Bhikkhus as the fifteenth^[1]; if the number of the resident Bhikkhus is greater, the incoming Bhikkhu^[1] ought to accommodate themselves to the resident Bhikkhus. If their number is equal, the incoming Bhikkhus ought to accommodate themselves to the resident Bhikkhus. If the number of the incoming Bhikkhus is greater, the resident Bhikkhus ought to accommodate themselves to the incoming Bhikkhus.

2. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the resident Bhikkhus count the day as the fifteenth, the incoming Bhikkhus as the fourteenth; if, &c. (§ 1).

3. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the resident Bhikkhus count the day as the first (of the pakkha), the incoming Bhikkhus as the fifteenth (of the preceding pakkha); if the number of the resident Bhikkhus is greater, the resident Bhikkhus need not, if they do not like, admit the incoming ones to their communion; let the incoming Bhikkhus go outside the boundary and hold (there) Uposatha. If their number is equal, &c. (as in the preceding case). If the number of the incoming Bhikkhus is greater, let the resident Bhikkhus either admit the incoming ones to their communion or go outside the boundary.

4. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the resident Bhikkhus count the day as the fifteenth, the incoming Bhikkus as the first (of the following pakkha); if the number of the resident Bhikkhus is greater, let the incoming Bhikkhus either admit the resident Bhikkus to their communion or go outside the boundary. If their number is equal, &c. (as in the preceding case). If the number of the incoming Bhikkhus is greater, the incoming Bhikkhus need not, if they do not like, admit the resident Bhikkhus to their communion; let the resident Bhikkhus go outside the boundary and hold Uposatha (there).

5. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, the incoming Bhikkhus see the signs, the tokens, the marks, the characteristics of (the presence of) resident Bhikkhus, well prepared beds and chairs and mats and pillows, food and water well provided for, well swept cells; seeing this, they begin to doubt: "Are there here any resident Bhikkhus or are there not?"—

6. 'Being doubtful they do not search, having not searched they hold Uposatha: this is a dukkaṭa offence. Being doubtful they search, searching they do not see them, not seeing them they hold Uposatha: (in this case) they are free from offence. Being doubtful they search, searching they see them, seeing them they hold Uposatha together: (in this case) they are free from offence. Being doubtful they search, searching they see them, seeing them they hold Uposatha apart: this is a dukkaṭa offence. Being doubtful they search, searching they see them, seeing them they perish and become ruined^[2], saying, "What are those people to us?" and risking a schism, they hold Uposatha: this is a thullaccaya (grave) offence.

7. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the incoming Bhikkhus hear the signs &c. of (the presence of) resident Bhikkhus, the sound of their footsteps when they are walking, the sound of their rehearsal (of the Dhamma), of their clearing the throat and sneezing; hearing this they begin to doubt, &c. (§§ 5, 6).

8. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the resident Bhikkhus see the signs &c. of (the presence of) incoming Bhikkhus, unknown bowls, unknown robes, unknown seats, (the traces of) foot-washing, water sprinkled about; seeing this they begin to doubt, &c.

9. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the resident Bhikkhus hear the signs &c. of (the presence of) incoming Bhikkhus, the sound of their footsteps when they are arriving, the sound of their shaking out their shoes, clearing the throat, and sneezing; hearing this, &c.

10. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the incoming Bhikkhus see resident Bhikkhus belonging to a different district; they take them as belonging to the same district; taking them as belonging to the same district they do not ask; having not asked, they hold Uposatha together: (in this case) they are free from offence. They ask; having asked, they do not go through the matter; having not gone through the matter, they hold Uposatha together: this is a dukkaṭa offence. They ask, &c. (as in the last case), they hold Uposatha apart: (in this case) they are free from offence.

11. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the incoming Bhikkhus see resident Bhikkhus belonging to the same district. They take them as belonging to a different district; taking them, &c. they do not ask; having not asked, they hold Uposatha together: this is a dukkaṭa offence. They ask; having asked, they go through the matter; having gone through the matter, they hold Uposatha apart: this is a dukkaṭa offence. They ask, &c. (as in the last case), they hold Uposatha together: (in this case) they are free from offence.

12. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the resident Bhikkhus see incoming Bhikkhus belonging to a different district, &c. (see § 10).

13. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the resident Bhikkhus see incoming Bhikkhus belonging to the same district, &c. (see § 11).'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Buddhaghosa: 'They who count the day as the fifteenth, arrive from a distant kingdom, or they have held the preceding Uposatha on the fourteenth.' It seems to follow from this remark of Buddhaghosa that after an Uposatha on the fourteenth invariably an Uposatha on the fifteenth must follow, i.e. the Uposatha may not be held on the fourteenth ad libitum, but only in the second pakkha of the short months. Compare chap. 4 and the note on chap. 1. 1.

[2]:

See chap. 32.