Allowance to gather

^{Kd.2.1.1 BD.4.130} At one time the awakened one, the Lord was staying near Rājagaha on Mount Vulture Peak. Now at that time wanderers belonging to other sects, having collected together on the fourteenth, fifteenth and eighth days of the half-month.^[1] spoke dhamma,^[2] People came up to them to hear dhamma. They gained affection for the wanderers belonging to other sects, they gained faith (in them), the wanderers belonging to other sects gained adherents.^[3]

^Kd.2.1.2 Then reasoning arose thus in the mind of King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha as he was meditating in seclusion: “At present wanderers belonging to other sects, having collected together on the fourteenth, fifteenth and eighth days of the half-month, speak dhamma. These people go up to them to hear dhamma. They gain affection for the wanderers belonging to other sects, they gain faith (in them), the wanderers belonging to other sects gain adherents. Suppose the masters should also collect together on the fourteenth, fifteenth and eighth days of the half-month?”

^Kd.2.1.3 Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha approached the Lord; having approached, having greeted the Lord, he sat down at a respectful distance, As he was sitting down at a respectful distance, King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha spoke thus to the Lord: “Now, Lord, as I was meditating in seclusion, a reasoning arose in my mind thus: ‘At present wanderers belonging to other sects … should collect together on the fourteenth, fifteenth and eighth days of the half-month?’”

^Kd.2.1.4 Then the Lord gladdened, rejoiced, roused, delighted King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha with talk on dhamma. Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, gladdened, … delighted by the Lord with talk on dhamma, rising from his seat, ^Vin.1.102 having greeted the Lord, departed keeping his right side towards him. ^BD.4.131 Then the Lord, on this occasion, in this connection, having given reasoned talk, addressed the monks, saying:

“I allow you, monks, to assemble together on the fourteenth, fifteenth and eighth days of the half-month.”

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^Kd.2.2.1 Now at that time monks, thinking: “It is allowed by the Lord to assemble together on the fourteenth, fifteenth and eighth days of the half-month,” having assembled together, sat down in silence. Those people came up to hear dhamma. They looked down upon, criticised, spread it about, saying: “How can these recluses, sons of the Sakyans, having assembled together on the fourteenth, fifteenth and eighth days of the half-month, sit in silence, like dumb pigs^[4]? Ought not dhamma to be spoken when they are assembled together?” Monks heard these people who … spread it about. Then these monks told this matter to the Lord. Then the Lord on this occasion, in this connection, having given reasoned talk, addressed the monks, saying:

“I allow you, monks, having assembled together on the fourteenth, fifteenth and eighth days of the half-month, to speak dhamma.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

On pakkha, cf. Vin.4.75 (BD.2.313, and q.v. n.3) where eating food given pakkhikaṃ and uposathikaṃ, “on a day of the waxing or waning of the moon” and “on an observance-day”, form exceptions to the rule prohibiting a group-meal.

[2]:

Vin-a.1034, what is and what is not to be done by them.

[3]:

pakkha is literally a party, a side, a faction, not necessarily a schismatic one, as is shown by above context, and see BD.3.190, n.3.

[4]:

mūgasūkarā; Vin-a.1034 explains by thūlasarīrasūkarā, pigs that are fat in body.