' Parisuddha 'ti vedissami' (I shall understand that they are pure) : I shall infer, I shall know.
6. ' Yathci kho pana pa>£/£ekapu//^assa vey-
yakara^a^z hoti' (as a single person that has been
asked a question answers it) : as a single person
that has been asked a question by another one,
would answer it, thus (those who are present) in
that assembly ought to understand : 'He asks me/
1 The five classes of offences are, the para^ika, sawghadi- sesa, pa^ittiya, pa/idesaniya, dukka/a offences; the seven classes, the para^ika, sa^ghadisesa, thulla^aya, pa^ittiya, pa/idesaniya, dukka/a, dubbhasita offences. See, for instance, Zullavagga IX, 3, 3.
Ii, 3, 7- Uposatha Ceremony, and Patimokkha. 245
' Evarftpd parisa' (an assembly like this): this refers to the assembly of Bhikkhus.
* Yavatatiya^ anussavita^ hoti' (it has been
solemnly proclaimed three times) : it has been
solemnly proclaimed once, and the second time,
and the third time.
' Saramano ' (remembering it): knowing it, being conscious of it.
' Santi apatti' (an existing offence) : an offence
which has been committed, or which has been com-
mitted and not been atoned for.
' Navikareyya :' he does not show it, he does
not unveil it, he does not make it evident, he does
not declare it before the Samgha, or before a small
chapter, or before one person.
7. 'Sampa^anamusavdd' assa hoti' (he com-
mits an intentional falsehood) : what is intentional
falsehood ? It is a sin 1.
' Antarayiko dhammo vutto bhagavata' (it
has been declared an impediment by the Blessed
One) : an impediment to what ? An impediment to
the attainment of the first £Mna, an impediment to
the attainment of the second . . . third . . . fourth
6v£ana, an impediment to the attainment of the
67zanas, Vimokkhas 2, Samadhis (states of self-con-
centration), Samapattis (the eight attainments of
the four Guanas and four of the eight Vimokkhas),
1 The Pali text has ' dukka/a/ We cannot interpret here dukka/a in the technical sense of a dukka/a offence (see the Introduction, p. xxiv), for intentional falsehood belongs to the class of the pa^ittiya offences, among which it occupies the first place.
2 See the note on I, 78, 5.
246 MAHAVAGGA. II, 3, 8.
the states of renunciation, of escape (from the world), of seclusion, of (all) good qualities.
'Tasma:' for that reason.
'Saramanena' (by him who remembers it): by him who knows it and is conscious of it.
* Visuddhapekkhena' (by him who desires to
become pure) : by him who wishes to atone for it
and to make himself pure of it.
8. ' Santi apatti' . . . (see § 6).
'Avikatabba/ (it is to be confessed): it is to
be confessed before the Sa^gha, or before a small
chapter, or before one person/
' Avikata hi 'ssa ph&su hoti' (for if it has been
confessed, it is treated duly) : duly for what pur-
pose? In the due way for the attainment of the
first GMna (and so on, as in § 7, down to :) of (all)
good qualities.
1. At that time the Bhikkhus, considering that
the Patimokkha recitation had been instituted by the
Blessed One, recited the Patimokkha every day.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' The Patimokkha, O Bhikkhus, is not to be recited
every day. He who recites it (every day), commits
a dukka/a offence. I ordain, O Bhikkhus, to recite
the Patimokkha on the Uposatha day/
2. At that time the Bhikkhus, considering that
it had been prescribed by the Blessed One to recite
the Patimokkha on the Uposatha day, recited the Pati-
mokkha three times each half month, on the four-
teenth, fifteenth, and eighth day of each half month.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
Ii, 5, 3- Uposatha Ceremony, and Patimokkha. 247
' The Patimokkha, O Bhikkhus, is not to be recited
three times each half month. He who recites it (three
times), commits a dukka^a offence. I prescribe, O
Bhikkhus, that you recite the Patimokkha once each
half month, on the fourteenth or on the fifteenth day/
1. At that time the ^Oabbaggiya Bhikkhus
recited the Patimokkha according as they lived
together, every one before his own companions.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' The Patimokkha, O Bhikkhus, is not to be recited
according as (the Bhikkhus) live together, by every
one before his own companions. He who recites it
(in that way), commits a dukka/a offence. I pre-
scribe, O Bhikkhus, that the Uposatha service is to
be held by the complete fraternity/
2. Now the Bhikkhus thought: 'The Blessed
One has prescribed that the Uposatha service is to
be held by the complete fraternity. How far does
completeness extend, as far as one residence (or one
district), or all over the earth ?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that completeness is to
extend as far as one residence/
3. At that time the reverend Mahi Kappina
dwelt near Ra^agaha, in the deer park of Madda-
kuM/ii. Now (one day) when the reverend Maha
Kappina was alone and had retired into solitude,
the following consideration presented itself to his
mind : ' Shall I go to the Uposatha service or shall
I not go ? Shall I go to the functions of the Order
248 MAHAVAGGA. II, 5, 4.
or shall I not go? Indeed I have become pure by
the highest purity (i. e. I have reached Arahatship
or Nirvana)/
4. Then the Blessed One, understanding by the
power of his mind the reflection which had arisen in
Maha Kappina s mind, disappeared from the Giggka.-
kft/a mountain and appeared in the deer park of
Maddaku/^i^i, before the reverend Maha Kappina
(as quickly) as a strong man might stretch his bent
arm out, or draw his outstretched arm back. The
Blessed One sat down on a seat laid out for him,
and the reverend Maha Kappina, after having re-
spectfully saluted the Blessed One, sat down also
near him.
5. When the reverend Maha Kappina was seated
near him, the Blessed One said to him : i When you
were alone, Kappina, and had retired into solitude,
has not the following consideration presented itself
to your mind: " Shall I go (&c, as in § 3 down to:)
by the highest purity?" '
' Even so, Lord/
' If you Brahma/zas do not honour, do not regard,
do not revere, do not pay reverence to the Upo-
satha, who will then honour, regard, revere, pay
reverence to the Uposatha ? Go to the Uposatha,
O Brdhma/za, do not neglect to go; go to the func-
tions of the Order, do not neglect to go/ The
reverend Maha Kappina promised the Blessed One
to do so (by saying), ' Even so, Lord/
6. Then, having taught, incited, animated, and
gladdened the reverend Maha Kappina by a reli-
gious discourse, the Blessed One disappeared from
the deer park of Maddaku^^i, from the presence of
the reverend Maha Kappina, and appeared on the
II, 7, i. UPOSATHA CEREMONY, AND PATIMOKKHA. 249
Giggv^akti/a mountain (as quickly) as a strong man
might stretch his bent arm out, or draw his out- stretched arm back.
Now the Bhikkhus thought : ' The Blessed One
has prescribed that completeness (of the assembled
fraternity) is to extend as far as one residence1. Now
how far does one residence extend?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' 1 prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you determine a
boundary. And it ought to be determined, O Bhik-
khus, in this way : First the landmarks are to be
proclaimed : a landmark consisting in a mountain,
in a rock, in a wood, in a tree, in a path, in an ant-
hill, in a river, in a piece of water. The landmarks
having been proclaimed, let a learned, competent
Bhikkhu proclaim the following #atti before the
Sa^gha : " Let the Sa/^gha, reverend Sirs, hear me.
If the Sa^gha is ready, let the Sa^gha, as the
landmarks have been proclaimed all around, by
these landmarks determine the boundary for com-
mon residence and communion of Uposatha. This
is the $atti. Let the Sa^gha, reverend Sirs, hear
me. The Sa^gha determines the boundary (&c, as
above). Thus I understand/' '
1. At that time the jOabbaggiya Bhikkhus, considering that fixing of boundaries had been
1 See chap. 5. 2.
25O MAHAVAGGA. II, 7, 2.
prescribed by the Blessed One, fixed boundaries of
excessive extension, of four yo^anas, five yq^anas,
six yo^anas. The Bhikkhus who came to the
Uposatha, arrived when the Patimokkha was being
recited, or when it had just been recited, or they
were obliged to stay the night on the way.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* Let no one, O Bhikkhus, determine a boundary
of excessive extension, of four, five, or six yo^anas.
He who determines (such a boundary), commits a
dukka/a offence. I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that
you determine boundaries of three yo^anas' extent
at most/
2. At that time the i£7b,bbaggiya Bhikkhus deter-
mined a boundary which extended to the opposite
side of a river. The Bhikkhus who came to the
Uposatha, were carried down (by the river), and
their alms-bowls and robes were carried away.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* Let no one, O Bhikkhus, determine a boundary
which extends to the opposite side of a river. He
who determines (such a boundary), commits a duk-
ka/a offence. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, if there is a
regular communication by a ferry boat or a dike, at
such places to determine a boundary which extends
also to the opposite side of the river/
1. At that time the Bhikkhus recited the Pati-
mokkha in their successive cells without appointing
(a certain place for doing so). The Bhikkhus who
Ii, 8, 4. Uposatha Ceremony, and Patimokkha. 25 1
arrived (from distant places), did not know where the Uposatha was to be held that day.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' Let no one, O Bhikkhus, recite the Patimokkha
in the successive cells without appointing a certain
place for it. He who recites it (in this way), com-
mits a dukka/a offence. I prescribe, O Bhikkhus,
the holding of Uposatha after having fixed upon an
Uposatha hall, wherever the Sa/^gha likes, a Vih&ra,
or an A^^ayoga, or a storied building, or a house,
or a cave1. And you ought to appoint it in this way:
2. ( Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim
the following /zatti before the Sa^gha : " Let the
Sa^gha, reverend Sirs, hear me. If the Sa^gha
is ready, let the Sawgha appoint the Vihara called
N. N. to be our Uposatha hall. This is the natti.
Let the Sawgha, reverend Sirs, hear me. The
Sa^gha appoints, &c. Thus I understand." '
3. At that time there were in a certain residence
(or district) two Uposatha halls fixed upon. The
Bhikkhus assembled in both places, because (some
of them) thought, 'The Uposatha will be held here;'
(and some), ' It will be held there/
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' Let no one, O Bhikkhus, fix upon two Uposatha
halls in one district. He who does so, commits a
dukka/a offence. I ordain, O Bhikkhus, the abolish-
ing of one of them2, and the holding of Uposatha
(only) in one place.
4. ' And you ought to abolish it, O Bhikkhus, in this way : Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu pro-
1 See the note on I, 30, 4.
2 I.e. to abolish the character of uposathagara, conferred on the Vihara &c. by the act of sammuti.
252 MAHAVAGGA. II, 9, 1.
claim the following /zatti before the Sa^gha : " Let
the Sa^gha, reverend Sirs, hear me. If the Sawgha
is ready, the Sa^gha may abolish the Uposatha
hall called N.N. This is the /zatti. Let the Saw-
gha, &c. Thus I understand." '
1. At that time in a certain district too small an
Uposatha hall had been appointed. On the day
of Uposatha a great assembly of Bhikkhus met
together. The Bhikkhus heard the Patimokkha
sitting outside the site fixed upon. Now those
Bhikkhus thought : ' The Blessed One has promul-
gated the precept that Uposatha is to be held after
an Uposatha hall has been fixed upon, and we have
heard the Patimokkha sitting outside the site fixed
upon. Have we therefore (duly) held Uposatha or
have we not held it ?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* Whether (a Bhikkhu) be seated inside or outside
the site fixed upon, provided he hears the Pati-
mokkha, Uposatha has been duly held by him.
2. ' Therefore, O Bhikkhus, let the Sa^gha deter-
mine as large an uposatha-pamukha1 as it desires.
And it ought to be determined, O Bhikkhus, in this
way : First the landmarks are to be proclaimed.
The landmarks having been proclaimed, let a learned,
competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following /zatti