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1. Now at that time the Blessed Buddha was dwelling at Sâvatthi, in the Ârâma of Anâthapindika. And at that time the Khabbaggiya Bhikkhus used to carry out the formal Acts--the Tagganiya, and the Nissaya, and the Pabbâganiya, and the Patisâraniya, and the Ukkhepaniya--against Bhikkhus who were not present.
Then those Bhikkhus who were modest were annoyed, murmured, and became indignant, saying, 'How can the Khabbaggiya Bhikkhus [act thus] 1?' And those Bhikkhus told the matter to the Blessed One.
'Is it true, O Bhikkhus, as they say, that the Khabbaggiya Bhikkhus carry out the (aforesaid) 1 formal Acts against Bhikkhus who are not present?'
'It is true, Lord!'
The Blessed Buddha rebuked them, saying, 'This is improper (&c., as in I, 1, 2, down to the end).' And when he had thus rebuked them, and had
delivered a religious discourse, he addressed the Bhikkhus, and said: 'The formal Acts, O Bhikkhus, the Tagganiya-, the Nissaya-, the Pabbâganiya-, the Patisâraniya-, and the Ukkhepaniya-kammas, ought not to be carried out against Bhikkhus who are not present. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata offence.'
1:1 The words above are repeated.