Vinaya (3): The Cullavagga
by T. W. Rhys Davids | 1881 | 137,074 words
The Cullavagga (part of the Vinaya collection) includes accounts of the First and Second Buddhist Councils as well as the establishment of the community of Buddhist nuns. The Cullavagga also elaborates on the etiquette and duties of Bhikkhus....
Cullavagga, Khandaka 4, Chapter 9
Now at that time the Bhikkhus in chapter (Saṃgha) assembled, since they became violent, quarrelsome, and disputatious, and kept on wounding one another with sharp words[1], were unable to settle the disputed question (that was brought before them).
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
[2]'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to settle such a dispute by the vote of the majority. A Bhikkhu who shall be possessed of five qualifications shall be appointed as taker of the voting tickets—one who does not walk in partiality, one who does not walk in malice, one who does not walk in folly, one who does not walk in fear[3], one who knows what (votes) have been taken and what have not been taken.
'And thus shall he be appointed.
'First the Bhikkhu is to be requested (whether he will undertake the office). Then some able and discreet Bhikkhu is to bring the matter before the Saṃgha, saying,
'"Let the venerable Saṃgha hear me. If the time seems meet to the Saṃgha, let the Saṃgha appoint a Bhikkhu of such and such a name as taker of the voting tickets.
'"This is the motion (ñatti).
'"Let the venerable Saṃgha hear me. The Saṃgha appoints a Bhikkhu of such and such a name as taker of the tickets. Whosoever of the venerable ones approves of the Bhikkhu of such and such a name being appointed as taker of the tickets, let him keep silence. Whosoever approves not thereof, let him speak. The Bhikkhu of such and such a name is appointed by the Saṃgha as taker of the voting tickets. Therefore is it silent. Thus do I understand.'"
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Aññamaññaṃ mukhaisattīhi vitudantā viharanti. Literally, 'with mouth-javelins.' Vitudati, and not vitūdati as Childers gives, is the right spelling. So Fausböll reads at Jātaka II, 185, 186.
[2]:
From here to the end of the chapter recurs in IV, 14, 24.
[3]:
These are the qualifications always ascribed to one who rightly fills any judicial offence, and are called the four Agatis. They are the especial attributes of a good king sitting as judge, and are mentioned elsewhere (Saṃghādisesa XIII; Mahāvagga VIII, 5, 2; VIII, 6, 1; and below, VI, 11, 2) of other officials of the order with duties similar to those in the text.