Mahavagga, Khandaka 4, Chapter 17

1. At that time a number of Bhikkhus, companions and friends of each other, entered upon Vassa in a certain district of the Kosala country. In their neighbourhood other Bhikkhus, litigious, contentious, quarrelsome, disputatious persons, who used to raise questions before the Saṃgha, entered upon Vassa with the intention of inhibiting, on the Pavāraṇā day, the Pavāraṇā of those Bhikkhus when they should have finished their Vassa residence. Now those Bhikkhus heard: 'In our neighbourhood other Bhikkhus, &c. Well, what are we to do?'

They told this thing to the Blessed One.

2. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, a number of Bhikkhus, companions and friends of each other, enter upon Vassa in a certain district. In their neighbourhood other Bhikkhus, . . . . (&c., § 1). I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that those Bhikkhus hold Uposatha twice or thrice on the fourteenth day (of the half-month)^[1] in order that they may be able to hold Pavāraṇā before those (other) Bhikkhus. If those litigious, contentious, . . . . (&c., § 1) Bhikkhus approach that district, let the resident Bhikkhus, O Bhikkhus, quickly assemble and hold Pavāraṇā; having held Pavāraṇā, let them say to them: "We have held our Pavāraṇā, friends; do you do, Sirs, as you think fit."

3. 'If those litigious, . . . . (&c., § 1) Bhikkhus come to that residence unexpectedly, let the resident Bhikkhus, O Bhikkhus, prepare seats (for them), get water for the washing of their feet, foot-stools, and towels^[2], then let them go to meet them, take their bowls and their robes, and offer them (water) to drink; having thus looked after those Bhikkhus, let them go outside the boundary and hold Pavāraṇā; having held Pavāraṇā, let them say: "We have held our Pavāraṇā, friends, do you do, Sirs, as you think fit."

4. 'If they succeed in tbis way, well and good; if they do not succeed, let a learned, competent, resident Bhikkhu proclaim the following ñatti before the resident Bhikkhus: "Let the resident Bhikkhus hear me, Sirs. If you are ready, Sirs, let us now bold Uposatha and recite the Pātimokkha, and let us hold Pavāraṇā on the next new-moon day." If, O Bhikkhus, the litigious, . . . . (&c., § 1) Bhikkhus say to those Bhikkhus: "Well, friends, hold Pavāraṇā with us now," let them reply: "You are not masters, friends, of our Pavāraṇā; we will not hold Pavāraṇā now."

5. 'If, O Bhikkhus, those litigious, (&c., § 1) Bhikkhus stay there till that new-moon day, let a learned, competent, resident Bhikkhu, . . . .^[3]

6. 'If, O Bhikkhus, those litigious, . . . . (&c., § 1) Bhikkhus stay there still till that full-moon day, those Bhikkhus, O Bhikkhus, ought to hold Pavāraṇā all of them, no matter whether they like it or not, on the next full-moon day, on the day of the komudī cātumāsinī^[4].

7. 'If those Bhikkhus, O Bhikkhus, hold Pavāraṇā, and a sick Bhikkhu inhibits the Pavāraṇā of a healthy Bhikkhu, let them say (to the inhibiting Bhikkhu): "You are sick, Sir, and the Blessed One has said that a sick person cannot endure being questioned. Wait, friend, until you have recovered; having recovered, you may reprove him, if you like." If they speak to him thus, and he reproves (that Bhikkhu) notwithstanding, he makes himself guilty of the pācittiya offence of disregard^[5].

8. 'If those Bhikkhus, O Bhikkhus, hold Pavāraṇā, and a healthy Bhikkhu inhibits the Pavāraṇā of a sick Bhikkhu, let them say (to the inhibiting Bhikkhu): "This Bhikkhu is sick, friend, and the Blessed One has said that a sick person cannot endure being questioned. Wait, friend, until this Bhikkhu has recovered; when he has recovered you may reprove him, if you like." If they speak to him thus, . . . . (&c., as in § 7).

9. 'If those Bhikkhus, O Bhikkhus, hold Pavāraṇā, and a sick Bhikkhu inhibits the Pavāraṇā of another sick Bhikkhu, let them say (to the inhibiting Bhikkhu): "You are sick, Sirs, and the "Blessed One has said that a sick person cannot endure being questioned. Wait, friend, until you have recovered; when he has recovered^[6] you may reprove him, if you like." If they speak to him thus, . . . . (&c., as in § 7).

10. 'If those Bhikkhus, O Bhikkhus, hold Pavāraṇā, and a healthy Bhikkhu inhibits the Pavāraṇā of another healthy Bhikkhu, let the Saṃgha question and examine them both and treat them according to the law, and then hold Pavāraṇā.'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

In this way, when the inimical Bhikkhus are arriving about the time of Pavāraṇā, the resident Bhikkhus count the day which is the thirteenth or fourteenth to the other Bhikkhus, as the fifteenth, and thus they are enabled to finish their Pavāraṇā before they can be prevented.

[2]:

See I, 6, 11.

[3]:

As in § 4, down to the end of the paragraph; instead of, 'On the next new-moon day,' it is to be read here, 'On the next full-moon day.'

[4]:

See the note on III, 14, 11.

[5]:

See the 54th Pācittiya rule.

[6]:

Probably we should read in the Pāli text, 'ārogo ārogaṃ ākaṅkhamāno codessasīti.' Then the translation would be: 'When you have recovered and he has recovered, &c.'