1 The rules given here regarding the Lancia (declaration of con- sent of an absentee) that is required for the performance of official acts are word for word the same as those set out in chap. 22. 1-4, regarding the parisuddhi required at the Uposatha service.
278 MAHAVAGGA. II, 24, 1.
1. At that time relations of a certain Bhikkhu seized him on the day of Uposatha.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' In case, O Bhikkhus, a certain Bhikkhu is seized
on the day of Uposatha by relations of his, let the
Bhikkhus say to those relations : " Pray, friends, let
this Bhikkhu free for a moment until this Bhikkhu
has held Uposatha."
2. ' If they succeed in this way, well and good.
If they do not succeed, let the Bhikkhus say to
those relations : " Pray, friends, stand apart for a
moment, until this Bhikkhu has declared his pari-
suddhi." If they succeed, well and good. If they
do not succeed, let the Bhikkhus say to those rela-
tions : " Pray, friends, take this Bhikkhu for a mo-
ment outside the boundary, until the Sa^gha has
held Uposatha." If they succeed, well and good.
If they do not succeed, in no case is Uposatha to be
held by an assembly that is incomplete. Should it
be so held, (each Bhikkhu in the assembly) is guilty
of a dukka^a offence.
3. * In case, O Bhikkhus, a certain Bhikkhu is
seized on the day of Uposatha by kings, by robbers,
by rascals, by hostile Bhikkhus, &C.1'
1. Then the Blessed One thus addressed the Bhikkhus : ' Assemble, O Bhikkhus, the Sa^gha
1 See §§ 1, 2.
Ii, 25, 4- Uposatha Ceremony, and Patimokkha. 2 79
has duties (official acts) to perform/ When he had
spoken thus, a certain Bhikkhu said to the Blessed
One: 'There is a mad Bhikkhu, Lord, called Gagga,
who is not present/ ' There are, O Bhikkhus, two
sorts of madmen : There is one mad Bhikkhu who
now remembers the Uposatha, now does not re-
member it, who now remembers official acts (of the
Order), now does not remember them, (and) there
is (another mad Bhikkhu) who does not remember
them; one who now goes to Uposatha, now does
not go, who now goes to official acts, now does not
go, (and another) who does not go.
2. ' Now, O Bhikkhus, that madman that now
remembers, &c, that now goes to, &c, to such a
madman I prescribe that you grant ummattaka-
sammuti (i. e. the madman's leave).
3. 'And you ought, O Bhikkhus, to grant it in
this way : Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu pro-
claim the following /zatti before the Sa^gha : " Let
the Sa^gha, reverend Sirs, hear me. Gagga, a mad
Bhikkhu, now remembers the Uposatha, now does
not remember, &c, now goes to, &c. ; if the Sawgha
is ready, let the Sawgha grant ummattakasam-
muti to the mad Bhikkhu Gagga : let the Bhikkhu
Gagga remember or not remember Uposatha, re-
member or not remember official acts (of the Order),
let him go to Uposatha or not go, let him go to
official acts or not go : (in every case) it may be free
to the Sa^gha to hold Uposatha and to perform
official acts with Gagga as well as without Gagga.
This is the /zatti.
4. ' " Let the Sa^gha, &c. Gagga, a mad Bhikkhu, &c. ; the Sawgha grants, &c. Thus I understand." '
280 MAHAVAGGA. II, 26, 1.
1. At that time four Bhikkhus dwelt in a certain
residence (of Bhikkhus) on the day of Uposatha.
Now these Bhikkhus thought : ' The Blessed One
has prescribed the holding of Uposatha, and we are
(only) four persons1. Well, how are we to hold
Uposatha?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that four (Bhikkhus)
may recite the PcLtimokkha/
2. At that time three Bhikkhus dwelt in a certain
residence (of Bhikkhus) at the day of Uposatha.
Now these Bhikkhus thought : ' The Blessed One
has prescribed to four (Bhikkhus) the reciting of the
Patimokkha, and we are (only) three persons/ &c.
' I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that three Bhikkhus may hold parisuddhi-uposatha2-
3. 'And it ought to be held in this way: Let a
learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following
$atti before those Bhikkhus : " Let the reverend
brethren hear me. To-day is Uposatha, the fifteenth
(day of the half month). If the reverend brethren are
ready, let us hold parisuddhi-uposatha with each
other." Let the senior Bhikkhu adjust his upper
robe so as to cover one shoulder, sit down squatting,
raise his joined hands, and say to those Bhikkhus :
"I am pure, friends, understand that I am pure, &c.3"
4. 'Let (each) younger Bhikkhu (in his turn) adjust
1 The quorum for several official acts of the Order was five or more Bhikkhus; see IX, 4.
2 Uposatha by mutual declaration of purity from the offences specified in the Patimokkha ; see § 3 seq.
3 The same phrase is repeated twice more.
Ii, 26, 10. Uposatha Ceremony, and Patimokkha. 28 I
his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, sit down
squatting, raise his joined hands, and say to those
Bhikkhus : " I am pure, reverend Sirs, &c." '
5. At that time two Bhikkhus dwelt in a certain
residence on the day of Uposatha. Now these Bhik-
khus thought : ' The Blessed One has prescribed to
four (Bhikkhus) the reciting of the Patimokkha, to
three (Bhikkhus) the holding of parisuddhi-upo-
satha, and we are (only) two persons/ &c.
' I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that two persons may hold parisuddhi-uposatha/
6, 7. * And it ought to be held in this way : Let the senior Bhikkhu, &C.1'
8. At that time there dwelt a single Bhikkhu in a
certain residence on the day of Uposatha. Now this
Bhikkhu thought, &c.
9. * In case there dwell, O Bhikkhus, in a certain
residence on the day of Uposatha a single Bhikkhu;
let that Bhikkhu, O Bhikkhus, sweep the place which
the Bhikkhus used to frequent, the refectory, or hall,
or place at the foot of a tree ; let him (then) provide
water and food, prepare seats, put a lamp there, and
sit down. If other Bhikkhus come, let him hold
Uposatha with them ; if they do not come, let him
fix his mind upon the thought: " To-day is my Upo-
satha." If he does not fix his mind upon this thought,
he commits a dukka/a offence.
10. 'Now, O Bhikkhus, where four Bhikkhus
dwell (together), they must not convey the pari-
suddhi2 of one (to their assembly), and recite the
1 See §§ 3, 4. The watti prescribed in the preceding case does not apply to this case.
2 See chap. 22.
252 MAHAVAGGA. II, 27, I.
Patimokkha by three. If they do, they commit a dukka/a offence.
1 Now, O Bhikkhus, where three Bhikkhus dwell
(together), they must not convey the parisuddhi
of one (to their assembly), and hold parisuddhi-
uposatha by two. If they do, they commit a
dukka/a offence.
* Now, O Bhikkhus, where two Bhikkhus dwell,
one of them must not convey the parisuddhi of the
other one, and fix (only) his thoughts (upon the Upo-
satha). If he does, he commits a dukka/a offence/
1. At that time a certain Bhikkhu was guilty of
an offence on the day of Uposatha. Now this Bhik-
khu thought : ' The Blessed One has prescribed :
" Uposatha is not to be held by a Bhikkhu who is
guilty of an offence1 " Now I am guilty of an offence.
What am I to do?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' In case, O Bhikkhus, a certain Bhikkhu be guilty
of an offence on the day of Uposatha ; let that Bhik-
khu, O Bhikkhus, go to one Bhikkhu, adjust his
upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, sit down
squatting, raise his joined hands, and say : " I have
committed, friend, such and such an offence ; I con-
fess that offence.'' Let the other say: " Do you see
it?" " Yes, I see it." " Refrain from it in future."
2. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, there be a Bhikkhu on the day of Uposatha who feels doubt with regard
1 See ^Tullavagga IX, 2.
Ii, 27, 4- Uposatha Ceremony, and Patimokkha. 283
to an offence ; let this Bhikkhu, O Bhikkhus, go to
one Bhikkhu, &c. (§ i), and say: " I feel doubt, friend,
with regard to such and such an offence. When I
shall feel no doubt, then I will atone for that offence."
Having spoken thus, let him hold Uposatha and hear
the Patimokkha. But in no case must there be any
hindrance to holding Uposatha from such a cause/
3. At that time the jOabbaggiya Bhikkhus con- fessed in common an offence (shared by them all).
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' You ought not, O Bhikkhus, to confess an offence
in common. He who does so, commits a dukka^a
offence.'
At that time the A^abbaggiya Bhikkhus accepted
the common confession of an offence (shared by
several Bhikkhus).
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* You ought not, O Bhikkhus, to accept the com-
mon confession of an offence. He who does so,
commits a dukka/a offence/
4. At that time a certain Bhikkhu remembered
an offence, while Patimokkha was being recited.
Now this Bhikkhu thought : ' The Blessed One
has prescribed : " Uposatha is not to be held by (a
Bhikkhu) who is guilty of an offence." Now I am
guilty of an offence. What am I to do?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
1 In case, O Bhikkhus, there be a Bhikkhu who
remembers an offence, while Patimokkha is being
recited; let this Bhikkhu, O Bhikkhus, say to his
neighbour Bhikkhu : " I have committed such and
such an offence, friend ; when I have arisen from
this (assembly), I will atone for that offence/' Having
spoken thus, &c. (§ 2).
284 MAHAVAGGA. II, 27, 5.
5. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, there be a Bhikkhu
who feels doubt with regard to an offence, while
Patimokkha is being recited, &c. (§§ 2, 4)/
6. At that time the whole Sawgha in a certain
residence was guilty of a common offence on the
day of Uposatha. Now these Bhikkhus thought :
' The Blessed One has prescribed that offences
(shared by many Bhikkhus) are not to be confessed
in common, and that the common confession of such
offences is not to be accepted. Now this whole
Sa^gha is guilty of a common offence. What are
we to do ?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* In case, O Bhikkhus, the whole Sa^gha in a
certain residence is guilty of a common offence on
the day of Uposatha ; let those Bhikkhus, O Bhik-
khus, send instantly one Bhikkhu to the neigh-
bouring residence of Bhikkhus (saying), " Go, friend,
and come back when you have atoned for that
offence (for yourself) ; we will (then) atone for the
offence before you/'
7. 'If they succeed in this way, well and good.
If they do not succeed, let a learned, competent
Bhikkhu proclaim the following /zatti before the
Sa^gha : " Let the Sa/^gha, reverend Sirs, hear
me. This whole Sa^gha is guilty of a common
offence. When it shall see another pure, guiltless
Bhikkhu, it will atone for the offence before him."
(One of the Bhikkhus) having spoken thus, let them
hold Uposatha and recite the Patimokkha. But in
no case must there be any hindrance to holding
Uposatha from such a cause.
8. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, the whole Sa^gha in a certain residence feels doubt with regard to a
Ii, 27,12. Uposatha Ceremony, and Patimokkha. 285
common offence on the day of Uposatha; (in this
case) let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the
following #atti before the Sa^gha: " Let the
Sa^gha, reverend Sirs, hear me. This whole
Sa^gha feels doubt with regard to a common
offence. When it will feel no doubt, it will atone
for that offence." (One of the Bhikkhus) having
spoken thus, &c.
9. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, in a certain residence
the Sa^gha that has entered (there) upon vassa is
guilty of a common offence. Those Bhikkhus, O
Bhikkhus, are instantly, &c. (§§ 6, 7). If they do
not succeed, let them send away one Bhikkhu for
seven days' time : " Go, friend, and come back when
you have atoned for that offence (for yourself) ; we
will (then) atone for the offence before you/' 9
10. At that time the whole Sa^gha in a certain
residence was guilty of a common offence, and did
not know the name nor the class to which that
offence belonged. Now there arrived (at that place)
another Bhikkhu, &c. (see chap. 21. 2), anxious for
training. To that Bhikkhu one of the Bhikkhus
went, and having gone to him, he said to him : 'He
who does such and such a thing, friend, what sort
of offence does he commit ?'
11. He replied: 'He who does such and such
a thing, friend, commits such and such an offence.
If you have committed such an offence, friend, atone
for that offence/ The other replied : ' Not I myself
alone, friend, am guilty of that offence ; this whole
Sawgha is guilty of that offence/ He said : ' What
is it to you, friend, whether another is guilty or guilt-
less? Come, friend, atone for your own offence/