The story of makers of strife

^Kd.4.17.1 Now at that time several monks, friends and associates, entered on the rains in a certain residence in the Kosala country. In their neighbourhood other monks, makers of strife, makers of quarrels, makers of dispute, makers of contention, makers of legal questions in an Order, entered on the rains, saying: “When these monks have kept the rains we will suspend the invitation on an Invitation day.” But those monks heard: “It is said that in our neighbourhood other monks … entered on the rains, saying: ‘When these monks … on an Invitation day. ‘Now, what line of conduct should be followed by us?” They told this matter to the Lord.

^Kd.4.17.2 He said: “This is a case, monks, where several monks, friends and associates, enter on the rains in a certain residence. In their neighbourhood … as in Kd.4.17.1 ‘… on an Invitation day’ I allow you, monks, to carry out two or three Observances with these monks on the fourteenth (day),^[1] thinking: ‘How can we invite before those monks (invite)?’ If, monks, those monks who are makers of strife … makers of legal questions in an Order, arrive at a residence, then, monks, those ^BD.4.231 resident monks, having gathered together quickly, may invite; and having invited, they should say (to the others): ‘We, your reverences, have invited; let the venerable ones do what seems fitting.’

^Kd.4.17.3 “If, monks, those monks who are makers of strife … makers of legal questions in the Order, arrive unexpectedly at that residence, those resident monks should make ready a seat, they should bring forward water for washing the feet, a footstool, a footstand, having gone to meet them they should receive their bowls and robes, they should offer them drinking water; having looked after them, (then) having gone outside the boundary, they may invite; having invited, they should say (to the others): ‘We, your reverences, have invited; let the venerable ones do what seems fitting.’

^Kd.4.17.4 “If they should thus manage this, it is good. But if they do not manage it, the resident monks should be informed by an experienced, competent resident monk, saying: ‘Let the venerable ones who are residents listen to me. If it seems right to the venerables ones, we may now carry out the Observance, we may recite the Pātimokkha, ^Vin.1.176 we may invite on the next new-moon day^[2]’. If, monks, those monks who are makers of strife … makers of legal questions in the Order, should speak thus to these monks: ‘All right, your reverences, but let us invite now at once’, they should be spoken to thus: ‘But you, your reverences, are not masters of our Invitation (-day), we will not invite yet’.

^Kd.4.17.5 “If, monks, these monks who are makers of strife … makers of legal questions in the Order, should stay on until that new-moon day, then, monks, the resident monks should be informed by an experienced, competent resident monk … ‘… let us invite on the next full-moon day^[3]’ … as in Kd.4.17.4 ‘… we will not invite yet’.

^Kd.4.17.6 “If, monks, those monks who are makers of strife … should stay on until that full-moon day, then monks, these monks, each and every one, must invite on the next full-moon day of the komudī cātumāsinī,^[4] (even if) they are unwilling.

^Kd.4.17.7 “If, monks, while these monks are themselves inviting, an ^BD.4.232 ill one suspends the invitation of one who is not ill, he should be spoken to thus: ‘The venerable one is ill, and it is said by the Lord that one who is ill is not able to endure being questioned. Wait, your reverence, until you are well, when you are well you can reprove him if you desire to do so’. If being spoken to thus, he (nevertheless) reproves him, in disrespect there is an offence of expiation.^[5]

^Kd.4.17.8 “If, monks, while these monks are themselves inviting, one who is not ill suspends an ill one ‘s invitation, he should be spoken to thus: ‘Your reverence, this monk is ill, and it is said by the Lord that one who is ill is not able to endure being questioned. Wait, your reverence, until this monk is well; when he is well you can reprove him if you desire to do so’. If being spoken to thus, he (nevertheless) reproves him, in disrespect there is an offence of expiation.

^Kd.4.17.9 “If, monks, while these monks are themselves inviting, an ill one suspends an ill one’s invitation, he should be spoken to thus: ‘The venerable ones are ill … being questioned. Wait, your reverence, until you are (both) well; when he is well you can reprove him if you desire to do so’. If, being spoken to thus, he (nevertheless) reproves him, in disrespect there is an offence of expiation.

^Kd.4.17.10 “If, monks, while these monks are themselves inviting, one who is not ill suspends the invitation of (another) who is not ill, the Order having questioned both closely and cross-questioned them, having had them dealt with according to the rule, may invite.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vin-a.1079 says, “here, the fourth and fifth are the two ‘fourteen (days)’, but there is usually a third ‘fourteenth’; therefore the third and fourth, or the third, fourth and fifth are the two or three ‘fourteenths’ that should be carried out. Thus there come to be two ‘fourteenths’. Proceeding thus—the thirteenth or fourteenth for the makers of strife—these will invite on an Invitation day that is a fifteenth (day)”.

[2]:

kāḷe.

[3]:

juṇhe; cf. above, BD.4.185.

[4]:

See above, BD.4.205, n.3.

[5]:

Cf. also Bu-Pc.54.