Cullavagga, Khandaka 5, Chapter 32

1. Now at that time the Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus set the woods on fire.

People murmured, &c., saying, 'Like the charcoal burners.'

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to set woods on fire. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa.'

Now at that time the Vihāras were hidden under masses of grass^[1], and when the woods were set on fire the Vihāras were burnt. The Bhikkhus, fearing to offend, would not make a counter-fire for their own protection.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus. when the woods are on fire to make a counter-fire^[2], and thus afford yourselves protection.'

2. Now at that time the Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus climbed up trees, and jumped from tree to tree.

People murmured, &c., saying, 'Like monkeys.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to climb up trees. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa.'

Now at that time, when a certain Bhikkhu in the Kosala country was going to Sāvatthi, an elephant pursued him on the way. And that Bhikkhu, when he had run up to the foot of a tree, fearing to offend, did not climb up. The elephant passed on another way.

That Bhikkhu, on arriving at Sāvatthi, told this matter to the Bhikkhus (and the Bhikkhus told this matter to the Blessed One^[3]).

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, when there shall be something to be done to ascend a tree to the height of a man; and in cases of misfortune as high as you like.'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Tiṇa-gahanā. Not covered with thatch, the word for which is tina-cchadana. See V, 11, 6; V, 14, 3, &c.

[2]:

Paṭaggiṃ dātuṃ. See the story at Jātaka I, 212, and foll.

[3]:

Omitted in the text.