Mahavagga, Khandaka 2, Chapter 36

1. ' Let no one, O Bhikkhus, recite the Pātimokkha in a seated assembly (of Bhikkhus) before a Bhikkhunī. He who does, commits a dukkaṭa offence. Let no one, O Bhikkhus, recite the Pātimokkha in a seated assembly (of Bhikkhus) before a sikkhamānā^[1], a sāmaṇera, a sāmaṇerī, one who has abandoned the precepts^[2], one who is guilty of an extreme offence^[2]. He who does, commits a dukkaṭa offence.

2. 'Let no one, O Bhikklius, recite the Pātimokkha in a seated assembly (of Bhikkhus) before a (Bhikkhu) against whom expulsion has been pronounced for his refusal to see an offence (committed by himself), before a (Bhikkhu) against whom expulsion has been pronounced for his refusal to atone for such an offence, or for his refusal to renounce a false doctrine. He who does, is to be treated according to the law^[3].

3, 'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, recite the Pātimokkha in a seated assembly (of Bhikkhus) before a eunuch, before one who has furtively attached himself (to the Saṃgha), &c. {see chap. 22. 3), before a hermaphrodite. He who does, commits a dukkaṭa offence.

4. 'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, hold Uposatba by (accepting) tbe pārisuddhi declaration^[4] of a pārivāsika^[5], except if the assembly has not yet risen (at the time when the pārisuddhi is declared). And let no one, O Bhikkhus, hold Uposatha on another day than the Uposatha day, except for the sake of (declaring the re-establishment of) concord among tbe Saṃgha^[6].'

End of the third Bhāṇavāra in the Uposathakhandhaka.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

In the Bhikkhunīkhandhaka (Cullav. X, 1, 4) we are told that Buddha, when admitting women to the Order of mendicants, prescribed for them a probationary course of instruction, which should last two years, after which time they were to ask for the upasampadā ordination. During these two years the candidates were called sikkhamāṇās. Childers (Dict. s.v. sikkhati) has misunderstood the Mahāvaṃsa (p. 37), when he states that in the case of Asoka's daughter Saṃghamittā the training prescribed for the sikkhamāṇās was absolved in a single day.

[2]:

See the note on chap. 22. 3.

[3]:

The law alluded to most probably is the 69th Pācittiya rule, which expressly treats only of the conduct towards Bhikkhus refusing to renounce false doctrines, but it may be extended by analogy also to the two other categories of Bhikkhus mentioned in our passage.

[4]:

See chap. 22.

[5]:

I.e. a Bhikkhu subject to the penal discipline of parivāsa, the rules of which are discussed at length in the second and third books of the Cullavagga.

[6]:

If a schism among the fraternity has been composed, the reconciled parties hold Uposatha together (X, 5, 14).