Vinaya Pitaka (3): Khandhaka

by I. B. Horner | 2014 | 386,194 words | ISBN-13: 9781921842160

The English translation of the Khandhaka: the second book of the Pali Vinaya Pitaka, one of the three major ‘baskets’ of Therevada canonical literature. It is a collection of various narratives. The English translation of the Vinaya-pitaka (third part, khandhaka) contains many Pali original words, but transliterated using a system similar to the I...

Division of invitation by Saṅgha, etc.

Kd.4.5.1 Now at that time five monks were staying in a certain residence on an Invitation day. Then it occurred to these monks: “It is laid down by the Lord that an Order may invite[1], but we are (only) five persons. Now, how can we invite?” They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “I allow you, monks, to invite in an Order of five.[2]


Kd.4.5.2 Now at that time four monks were staying in a certain residence on an Invitation day. Then it occurred to these monks: “It is allowed by the Lord to invite in an Order of five, but we are (only) four persons. Now, how can we invite?” They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “I allow you, monks, to invite one another when you are (only) four.

Kd.4.5.3 “And thus, monks, should one invite: These monks should be informed by an experienced, competent monk, saying: ‘Let the venerable ones listen to me. Today is an Invitation day. If it seems right to the venerable ones, let us invite one another.’ These monks should be spoken to thus by a monk who is an elder, having arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, having sat down on his haunches, having saluted with joined palms: ‘I, your reverences, invite the venerable ones in regard to what has been seen or heard or suspected. BD.4.215 Let the venerable ones speak to me out of compassion, and seeing, I will make amends. And a second time … And a third time … and seeing, I will make amends.’ These monks should be spoken to thus by a newly ordained monk, having arranged … ‘I, honoured sirs, invite the venerable ones in regard to what has been seen or heard or suspected … And a second time … And a third time … and seeing, I will make amends.’”


Kd.4.5.4 Now at that time three monks were staying in a certain residence on an Invitation day. Then it occurred to these monks: “It is allowed by the Lord to invite in an Order of five persons, and to invite one another when there are four, but we are (only) three persons. Now how can we invite?” They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “I allow you, monks, to invite one another when you are (only) three. And thus, monks, should one invite: These monks should be informed … = Kd.4.5.3 Vin.1.163 … I will make amends.’”


Kd.4.5.5 Now at that time two monks were staying in a certain residence on an Invitation day. Then it occurred to these monks: “It is allowed by the Lord to invite in an Order of five (persons), to invite one another when there are four, to invite one another when there are three, but we are (only) two persons. Now, how can we invite?” They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “I allow you, monks, to invite one another when you are (only) two.

Kd.4.5.6 “And thus, monks, should one invite: The monk who is the elder, having arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, having sat down on his haunches, having saluted with joined palms, should speak thus to the newly ordained monk: ‘I, your reverence, invite the venerable one in regard to what has been seen or heard or suspected. Let the venerable one speak to me out of compassion, and seeing, I will make amends. And a second time … And a third time … and seeing, I will make amends.’ The newly ordained monk, having arranged his upper robe … with joined palms, should speak thus to the monk who is the elder: ‘I, honoured sir, invite the venerable one … And a third time … and seeing, I will make amends.’”


Kd.4.5.7 Now at that time one monk was staying in a certain residence on an Invitation day. Then it occurred to that monk: “It is BD.4.216 allowed by the Lord to invite in an Order of five (persons), to invite one another … when there are (only) two, but I am alone. Now, how can I invite?” They told this matter to the Lord.

Kd.4.5.8 He said: “This is a case, monks, where one monk is staying in a certain residence on an Invitation day. Monks, that monk, having swept the place to which monks return—an attendance hall or a pavilion or the root of a tree—having put out drinking water and water for washing, having made ready a seat, having made a light, should sit down. If other monks arrive, he may invite together with them; if they do not arrive, he should determine: ‘Today is an Invitation day for me’. If he should not (so) determine, there is an offence of wrong-doing.

Kd.4.5.9Monks, there where five monks are staying, four should not invite in an Order, having conveyed the invitation for one. If they should (so) invite, there is an offence of wrong-doing.

Monks, there where four monks are staying, three should not invite one another, having conveyed the invitation for one. If they should (so) invite, there is an offence of wrong-doing.

Monks, there where three monks are staying, Vin.1.164 two should not invite one another, having conveyed the invitation for one. If they should (so) invite, there is an offence of wrong-doing.

Monks, there where two monks are staying, one should not determine, having conveyed the invitation for the other. If he should (so) determine, there is an offence of wrong-doing.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Cf. Kd.4.1.14.

[2]:

The procedure for inviting an Order has been given in Kd.4.1.14 and is not repeated here. “Inviting one another” when there are only four, three or two persons has not yet been explained, and so directions for the right method are given in the next paragraphs. Various sizes of saṅghas are given at Kd.9.4.1, with the formal acts they may not carry out. This whole passage should be compared with Kd.2.26.1–Kd.2.26.10.

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