Unlawful agreement

^Kd.3.13.1 Now at that time an agreement came to be made by an Order in Sāvatthī that no one should be allowed to go forth during the rains. A nephew of Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, having approached monks, asked for the going forth. Monks spoke thus: “Sir, an agreement was made by the Order that during the rains no one should be allowed to go forth. Wait, sir, until the monks have kept the rains; when they have kept the rains they will allow you to go forth.” Then these monks, having kept the rains, spoke thus to the nephew of Visākhā, Migāra’s mother: “Come now, sir, go forth.” He spoke thus: “Honoured sirs, if I could have gone forth, I ^BD.4.203 should have been pleased. But now, I, honoured sirs, will not go forth.”

^Kd.3.13.2 Visākhā, Migāra’s mother … spread it about, saying: “How can the masters make an agreement to the effect that no one should be allowed to go forth during the rains? At what time should dhamma not be followed?” Monks heard Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, as she … spread it about. Then these monks told this matter to the Lord. He said: “Monks, an agreement that no one should be allowed to go forth during the rains should not be made. Whoever should make (one), there is an offence of wrong-doing.”