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1. Now when the Blessed One had stayed at Vesâlî as long as he thought fit, he sat out towards Sâvatthi; and, journeying straight on, he in due course arrived thereat. And there, at Sâvatthi, the Blessed One remained in the Getavana, Anâtha Pindika's Park.
Now at that time the Khabbaggiya Bhikkhus threw dirty water over Bhikkhunîs, thinking, perhaps, they would fall in love with them 1.
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'A Bhikkhu is not, O Bhikkhus, to throw dirty water at a Bhikkhunî. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata. I allow a penalty, O Bhikkhus, to be imposed on that Bhikkhu.
Then the Bhikkhus thought: 'What penalty is it that ought to be imposed on him?' They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'That Bhikkhu is to be declared to be one who is not to be saluted by the Bhikkhunî-samgha 2.'
Now at that time the Khabbaggiya Bhikkhus uncovered their bodies, or their thighs, or their private parts, and showed them to Bhikkhunîs, or addressed Bhikkhunîs with wicked words, or associated with Bhikkhunîs, thinking, perhaps, they would fall in love with them 3.
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'A Bhikkhu is not, O Bhikkhus, to do [any of these things]. Whosoever does, shall be guilty of a dukkata. I allow, O Bhikkhus, a penalty to be imposed on that Bhikkhu.'
Then the Bhikkhus thought: 'What penalty is it that ought to be imposed on him?' They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'That Bhikkhu is to be declared to be one who is not to be saluted by the Bhikkhunî-samgha.'
2. [The last section repeated of the Khabbaggiya Bhikkhunîs, the decision being the same down to]
Then the Bhikkhus thought: 'What penalty is it that ought to be imposed on her?' They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to prohibit her (from entering a Vihâra) 1.'
When the prohibition was laid upon them, they would not accept it. They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to inhibit them from the Exhortation.'
3. Then the Bhikkhus thought: 'Is it lawful to hold Uposatha with a Bhikkhunî who has been inhibited from the Exhortation, or is it not lawful?'
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to hold Uposatha with a Bhikkhunî who has been inhibited from the Exhortation until such time as her case has been settled.'
Now at that time the venerable Udâyi, after having inhibited the Exhortation (to one or more Bhikkhunîs), went away on a journey. The Bhikkhunîs
murmured, were indignant, and complained, saying: 'How can the venerable Udâyi [act so]?'
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to go on a journey after having inhibited the Exhortation. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata.'
Now at that time foolish and incompetent Bhikkhus inhibited the Exhortation,
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'The Exhortation is not, O Bhikkhus, to be inhibited by a foolish, incompetent Bhikkhu. When such a one does so, he shall be guilty of a dukkata.'
Now at that time Bhikkhus inhibited the Exhortation without grounds and without cause.
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to inhibit the Exhortation without ground and without cause. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata.'
Now at that time Bhikkhus, who had inhibited the Exhortation, would not give a decision (on the matter out of which the inhibition arose).
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'When, O Bhikkhus, you have inhibited the Exhortation, you are not to abstain from giving a decision (on the matter out of which the inhibition arose). Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata.'
4. Now at that time Bhikkhunîs did not go to the Exhortation. They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'A Bhikkhunî, O Bhikkhus, is not to omit going to the Exhortation. Whosoever does so, shall be dealt with according to the rule 1.'
Now at that time the whole Bhikkhunî-samgha went to the Exhortation together. The people murmured, were indignant, and complained, saying: 'There are their wives, there are their mistresses; now will they take pleasure together.'
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'The whole Bhikkhunî-samgha is not, O Bhikkhus, to go to the Exhortation together. And if it should so go, it is guilty of a dukkata. I allow, O Bhikkhus, four or five Bhikkhunîs to go together.'
[The same when four or five went the decision ending,]
'I allow, O Bhikkhus, two or three Bhikkhunîs to go together to Exhortation; and let them go up to some one Bhikkhu, and arrange their robes over one shoulder, and, sitting down on their heels, let them stretch forth their joined palms, and thus address him: "The Bhikkhunî-samgha salutes the feet of the Bhikkhu-samgha, and requests permission to come for the purpose of the Exhortation being held; may that be granted, they say, to the Bhikkhunî-samgha."
'Then he who is entrusted with the recitation of the Pâtimokkha is to ask: "Is there any Bhikkhu who has been appointed to hold the Exhortation of the Bhikkhunîs?"
'If a Bhikkhu has been appointed thereto, the reciter of the Pâtimokkha is to say: "Such and such a Bhikkhu has been appointed to hold Exhortation to the Bhikkhunîs. Let the Bhikkhunî-samgha come to him accordingly."
'If no Bhikkhu has been appointed thereto the reciter of the Pâtimokkha is to say: "Which of the venerable ones is able to hold Exhortation to
the Bhikkhunîs?" If any one is able to do so, and is possessed of the eight qualifications 1, he is to appoint him thereto, and is to say: "Such and such a Bhikkhu is appointed to hold Exhortation to the Bhikkhunîs. Let the Bhikkhunî-samgha come to him."
'If no one is able to do so, the reciter of the Pâtimokkha is to say: "There is no Bhikkhu appointed to hold Exhortation to the Bhikkhunîs. May the Bhikkhunî-samgha obtain its desire in peace 2."'
5. Now at that time Bhikkhus did not accept the (office of holding) Exhortation. They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'The Exhortation is not, O Bhikkhus, to be declined. Whosoever shall not accept it, shall be guilty of a dukkata.'
Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu was stupid. To him the Bhikkhunîs went, and said: 'Sir, please to accept the (duty of holding) Exhortation.'
'I, sister, am stupid. How can I accept the Exhortation?'
'You should take it, Sir; for thus has it been laid down by the Blessed One: "Bhikkhus are to accept the (duty of holding) Exhortation to the Bhikkhunîs."'
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'I allow, O Bhikkhus, all the rest, save the stupid, to accept the Exhortation.'
[The same repeated of a sick Bhikkhu, and a
[paragraph continues] Bhikkhu on a journey. The same case put of a Bhikkhu living in the jungle. The decision is,]
'I allow a Bhikkhu living in the jungle, O Bhikkhus, to accept the Exhortation, and to appoint a time and place for the meeting 1, saying: "There will I perform it."'
Now at that time Bhikkhus accepted the Exhortation, but did not perform it. They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'The Exhortation, O Bhikkhus, is not to be neglected. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata.'
Now at that time Bhikkhunîs did not attend at the place appointed. They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'A Bhikkhunî is not, O Bhikkhus, to omit attending at the place appointed. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata.'
335:1 On sâraggeyyun compare sâraggati at V, 3, I.
335:2 On this decision compare the 'sending to Coventry' of Khanna for levity of conduct towards Bhikkhus at Mahâ-parinibbâna Sutta VI, 4, and Kullavagga XI, 1, 12 (where the penalty is called Brahma-danda).
335:3 On sampayogeti compare Kullavagga I, 5, at the end.
336:1 Âvaranan ti vihârapavesane nivâranam, says Buddhaghosa.
337:1 Bhikkhunî Pâkittiya LVIII.
339:1 These are given at length in the Sutta Vibhaṅga, Pâkittiya XXI, 2, 1.
339:2 Pâsâdikena sampâdetu, on which Buddhaghosa has no note. Perhaps 'by means of faith' would be a better rendering.
340:1 On samketam, see our note above on Mahâvagga VIII, 23, 3.