Agreement for the mad

^{Kd.2.25.1 BD.4.163} Then the Lord addressed the monks, saying: “Gather together, monks, there is business for the Order.”^[1] When he had spoken thus a certain monk spoke thus to the Lord: “There is, Lord, the mad monk Gagga^[2]; he has not come.” He said: “There are, monks, these two (kinds of) madmen: there is the mad monk who now remembers the Observance, now does not remember it; who now remembers a (formal) act of the Order, now does not remember it. He is one who does not remember aright.^[3] (And there is the one) who now comes for the Observance, now does not come for it, who now comes for a (formal) act of the Order, now does not come for it. He is one who does not come aright.

^Kd.2.25.2 “In a case, monks, where this madman now remembers the Observance, now does not remember it … now comes for a (formal) act of the Order, now does not come for it, I allow you, monks, to give the agreement for a madman^[4] to such a madman.

^Kd.2.25.3 And thus, monks, should it be given: The Order should be informed by an experienced, competent monk, saying: ‘Honoured sirs, let the Order listen to me. The mad monk Gagga now remembers the Observance, now does not remember it, now remembers a (formal) act of the Order, now does not remember it; he now comes for the Observance, now does not come for it; now comes for a (formal) act of the Order, now does not come for it. If it seems right to the Order, the Order should give the agreement for a madman to the mad monk Gagga, so that whether the monk Gagga^[5] remembers the Observance or does not remember it, whether he remembers a (formal) act of the Order or does not remember it, whether he comes for the Observance or does not come for it, whether he comes for a (formal) act of the Order or does not come for it, the Order either with Gagga or without Gagga can carry out the Observance, can carry out a (formal) act of the Order. This is the motion. ^Kd.2.25.4 Honoured sirs, let the Order listen to me. The mad monk Gagga now remembers the Observance … now comes ^BD.4.164 for a (formal) act of the Order, now does not come for it. The Order is giving the agreement for a madman to the mad monk Gagga so that whether the monk Gagga remembers … or does not come for it, the Order either with Gagga or without Gagga will carry out the Observance, will carry out a (formal) act of the Order. If the giving of the agreement for a madman to the mad monk Gagga so that whether he remembers … or does not come for it, the Order either with Gagga or without Gagga will carry out the Observance, will carry out a (formal) act of the Order, is pleasing to the venerable ones, they should be silent; he to whom it is not pleasing should speak. The agreement for a madman is given by the Order to the mad monk Gagga, so that whether he remembers … or does not come for it, the Order either with Gagga or without Gagga will carry out the Observance, will carry out a (formal) act of the Order. It is pleasing to the Order, therefore it is silent; thus do I understand this’.” ^Vin.1.124