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1. Now at that time resident Bhikkhus, on seeing incoming Bhikkhus, did not prepare seats for them, nor provide water and footstools and towels for them to wash their feet, nor go to meet them and take charge of their bowls and their robes, nor ask them whether they wanted drinking-water 3, nor salute such of the incoming Bhikkhus as were their seniors, nor make beds ready for them.
The moderate Bhikkhus murmured, &c., and told the matter to the Blessed One, &c., (down to) he said to the Bhikkhus: 'Therefore, O Bhikkhus,
do I establish a rule of conduct for resident Bhikkhus, according to which they ought to behave.
2. 'A resident Bhikkhu, on seeing an incoming Bhikkhu, who is senior to him, ought to make ready a seat for him, provide water and a footstool and a towel for him to wash his feet; go to meet him, and take charge of his robe and his bowl, ask him if he wants water to drink, and if he can (bring himself to do so), he ought to wipe his sandals. In wiping the sandals, they should be first wiped with a dry cloth, then with a wet one, and the cloths ought then to be washed, and put aside.
1 'An incoming Bhikkhu ought to be saluted. A bed should be laid for him, saying, "This bed is for you." He should be informed whether (the bed-room) is occupied or not, what are lawful and what are unlawful resorts, and what families have been officially declared to be in want. He should be told where the retiring-places are, and the drinking and washing water, and the staves, and the place for the conferences of the Samgha, and what is the time when he ought to enter, and ought to leave (it).
3. 'If (the incoming Bhikkhu) be junior to him, then (the resident Bhikkhu), keeping his seat, should tell him where he is to put his bowl and his robe away, and on which mat he is to sit down. The incoming Bhikkhu should be informed where the drinking and washing water are, and the cloths to clean sandals with; he should be allowed to salute the resident Bhikkhu: and he should be told
where his bed is, saying, "That bed is for you." He should be informed whether (that bedroom) is occupied or not (and so on, as in last paragraph, down to the end).
'This, O Bhikkhus, is the rule of conduct for resident Bhikkhus, according to which they ought to behave.'
280:3 All the above expressions are used at the opening of Mahâvagga IX.
281:1 This paragraph corresponds to the last paragraph of VIII, 1, 2.