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...
Requesting the recitation of the Pātimokkha
Kd.19.1.1 BD.5.330 At one time[1] the Awakened One, the Lord was staying at Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery in the long house of Migāra’s mother. Now at that time the Lord was sitting down surrounded by an Order of monks on an Observance day. Then, when the night was far spent, as the first watch was waning, the venerable Ānanda, rising from his seat, having arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, having saluted the Lord with joined palms, spoke thus to the Lord:
“Lord, the night is far spent, the first watch is waning; the Order of monks has been sitting down for a long time; Lord, let the Lord recite the Pātimokkha to the monks.”[2] When he had spoken thus the Lord became silent. And when the night was far spent, as the middle watch was waning, the venerable Ānanda a second time rising from his seat, having arranged … spoke thus to the Lord:
“Lord, the night is far spent, the middle watch is waning; … recite the Pātimokkha to the monks.” And a second time the Lord became silent. And when the night was far spent, as the last watch was waning, when the sun had risen and the night had a face of gladness,[3] a third time did the venerable Ānanda, rising from his seat, having arranged … speak thus to the Lord:
“Lord, the night is far spent, the last watch is waning; the sun has risen, the night has a face of gladness; the Order of monks has been sitting down for a long time; Lord, let the Lord recite the Pātimokkha to the monks.”
“Ānanda, the assembly is not entirely pure.”[4]
Kd.19.1.2 Then it occurred to the venerable Moggallāna the Great:
BD.5.331 “Now, on account of which individual did the Lord speak thus: ‘Ānanda, the assembly is not entirely pure’?” Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great with his mind compassed the minds of the entire Order of monks. Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great saw that individual sitting in the midst of the Order of monks—of bad moral habit,[5] depraved in character, of impure and suspicious behaviour,[6] of concealed actions,[7] not a (true) recluse (although) pretending to be a (true) recluse, not a farer of the Brahma-faring (although) pretending to be a farer of the Brahma-faring, rotten within, filled with desire,[8] filthy by nature; seeing him, he approached that individual, Vin.2.237 having approached, he spoke thus to that individual:
“Get up, your reverence, the Lord has seen you; for you there is no communion[9] together with the monks.” When he had spoken thus that individual became silent. And a second time … And a third time the venerable Moggallāna the Great spoke thus to that individual: “Get up, your reverence … for you there is no communion together with the monks.” And a third time that individual became silent. Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great, having taken that individual by the arm, having thrust him out through the porch of the gateway, having shot the bolt,[10] approached the Lord; having approached, he spoke thus to the Lord:
“Lord I have thrust that individual out; the company is entirely pure; Lord, let the Lord recite the Pātimokkha to the monks.”
“How strange, Moggallāna, how wonderful, Moggallāna, that that foolish man should have waited even until he was taken hold of by the arm.”
Kd.19.1.3 Then the Lord addressed the monks,[11] saying:
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
The whole of this episode occurs also at AN.iv.204ff., Ud.5.5.
[2]:
Quoted at Kh-a.114; and at DN-a.227–DN-a.228, and Vv-a.52, to “for a long time,” as an example of khaya, waning.
[4]:
I.e. there is some monk in it who has not confessed an offence which he has committed.
[5]:
For this set of epithets cf. AN.i.108, AN.i.126, AN.ii.239, AN.iv.201, AN.i.205, Pp.27, Pp.36; Ud.52; SN.iv.180–SN.iv.181.
[6]:
SN.i.66, Thag.277; cf. Dhp-a.iii.485.
[7]:
Snp.127.
[9]:
[10]:
sūcighaṭikaṃ datvā, cf. Kd.15.14.3. This episode is referred to at Snp-a.312.
[11]:
At AN.iv.198 this description of the ocean is ascribed to the asura chief, Pahārāda.