1 The technical meaning of vassa w pukkkitum (to ask after Vassa ?) is unknown to us.
Ill, 7, 8. RESIDENCE DURING THE RAINY SEASON. 3 1 1
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
2. ' I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to go (even during
the rainy season), if the thing you go for can be
accomplished within seven days, even if you are not
sent for, and much more if you are sent for, by a
person of any one of the following seven classes :
Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunfs, sikkhamin^s, s&ma^eras,
sama/zerls, the mother, and the father. I allow
you, O Bhikkhus, to go, if the thing you go for can
be accomplished within seven days, even if you are
not sent for, and much more if you are sent for, by
a person of any one of these seven classes. Within
seven days you ought to return.
3. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhus mother is
sick. If she sends a messenger to her son (saying),
" I am sick ; might my son come to me ; I long for
my son's coming (&c, see chap. 6. 2)."
4. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhus father is sick .... (&c, as in § 3).
5. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhus brother is
sick. If he sends a messenger to his brother (saying),
" I am sick ; might my brother come to me ; I long
for my brothers coming," he ought to go, O Bhik-
khus, if the affair can be accomplished within seven
days, and if he sends for him, but not if he does
not send for him. Within seven days he ought to
return.
6. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu's sister is sick .... (&c, see § 5).
7. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, a relation of a Bhikkhu
is sick. If he sends a messenger to that Bhikkhu
(saying), " I am sick ; might his reverence come to
me " . . . . (&c, as in § 5).
8. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, a person that used to
3 1 2 MAHAVAGGA. Ill, 8.
live with the Bhikkhus1 is sick. If he sends a mes-
senger to the Bhikkhus (saying), " I am sick ;
might the Bhikkhus come to me " . . . . (&c, as in
i sY
At that time a Vihara belonging to the Samgha
went to ruin. A certain upasaka had a quantity of
wood cut in the forest. He sent a messenger to
the Bhikkhus (saying), ' If their reverences will
fetch that wood, I will give it to them/
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to go out on the Sa/^-
gha's business. Within seven days you ought to
return/
End of the first Bha^avara about the Vassa residence.
i. At that time the Bhikkhus of a certain dis-
trict in the Kosala country who had entered upon
Vassa, were troubled2 by beasts of prey ; the beasts
carried them off and killed them.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhus who have
entered upon Vassa, are troubled by beasts of prey,
and the beasts carry them off and kill them : this is
1 Buddhaghosa : bhikkhugatika is a person that dwells in the same Vihara with the Bhikkhus.
2 Compare (rataka I, 300.
Ill, 9, 4. RESIDENCE DURING THE RAINY SEASON. 3 I 3
to be considered as a case of danger, and they ought
to leave that residence. They are not guilty of
interruption of Vassa.
' In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhus who have
entered upon Vassa, are infested by snakes; they
bite them and kill them. This is to be considered
as a case of danger, .... (&c., as in § I down to) ... .
Vassa.
2. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhus who have
entered upon Vassa, are troubled by robbers; the
robbers plunder them and beat them. This is to be
considered .... (&c, as in § i) ... . Vassa.
' In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhus who have
entered upon Vassa, are troubled by demons; the
demons enter into them and take their power from
them. This is to be considered .... (&c, as in § i)
.... Vassa.
3. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the village near which
the Bhikkhus have entered upon Vassa, is destroyed
by fire ; the Bhikkhus suffer from want of food. This
is to be considered .... (&c.,as in § i) ... . Vassa.
' In case, O Bhikkhus, the places of rest of the
Bhikkhus who have entered upon Vassa, are de-
stroyed by fire ; the Bhikkhus suffer from having
no place of rest. This is to be considered .... (&c,
as in § 1) . . . . Vassa.
4. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, the village near which
the Bhikkhus have entered upon Vassa, is destroyed
by water; the Bhikkhus suffer from want of food,
.... (&c, as in § i) ... . Vassa.
' In case, O Bhikkhus, the places of rest of the
Bhikkhus who have entered upon Vassa, are de-
stroyed by water ; the Bhikkhus suffer from having
no place of rest, .... (&c, as in § i) ... . Vassa/
314 MAHAVAGGA. Ill, 10.
At that time the village near which the Bhikkhus
of a certain district had entered upon Vassa, was
transferred to another place through (fear of) robbers.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' 1 prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you go where the village is/
The village (people) divided themselves in two parts.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you go where the greater part is/
The greater part were unbelieving, unconverted people.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you go where the believing, converted people are/
1. At that time the Bhikkhus of a certain district
in the Kosala country who had entered upon Vassa,
could get (there) neither coarse nor fine food suffi-
ciently as required.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhus who have
entered upon Vassa, can get neither coarse nor fine
food sufficiently as required. This is to be con-
sidered as a case of danger, and they ought to leave
that residence. They are not guilty of interruption
of Vassa.
* In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhus who have entered upon Vassa, get food coarse or fine suffi-
Ill, ii, 4. RESIDENCE DURING THE RAINY SEASON. 315
ciently as required, but they cannot get sustaining
food. This is to be considered .... (&c, as in § 1)
.... Vassa.
2. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhus who have
entered upon Vassa, get food coarse or fine suffi-
ciently as required, they get sustaining food, but
they cannot get proper medicine. This is to be
considered .... (&c, as in § 1) ... . Vassa.
' In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhus .... (&c, as
§ 1, down to) ... . sustaining food, and they can get
profitable medicine, but they cannot find suitable lay-
men to do service to them. This is to be considered
.... (&c, as in § 1) ... . Vassa.
3. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, to a Bhikkhu who has
entered upon Vassa, a woman makes an offer (in
these words) : " Come, venerable Sir, I give you
gold, or I give you bullion1, or I give you a field,
or I give you a site (for a house or a garden), or I
give you an ox, or I give you a cow, or I give you
a slave, or I give you a female slave, or I give you
my daughter as your wife, or I will be your wife, or
I get another wife for you." In that case, if the
Bhikkhu thinks : " The Blessed One has said that
the mind of men is easily changeable ; danger might
arise to the purity of my life," he ought to go away
from that place. He is not guilty of interruption
of Vassa.
4. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, to a Bhikkhu who has
entered upon Vassa, a harlot makes an offer, &c, an
adult girl makes an offer, &c, a eunuch makes an
offer, &c, relations make an offer, &c, kings make
1 See Rh. D.'s ' Ancient Coins and Measures of Ceylon/ p. 5 (' Numismata Orientalia/ vol. i).
1 6 MAHAVAGGA. Ill, n, 5.
an offer, &c, robbers make an offer, &c, rascals
make an offer (in these words) : " Come, venerable
Sir, we give you gold, .... (&c, down to) .... or
we give you our daughter as your wife, or we get
another wife for you." In that case, .... (&c, as in
§ 3) . . . . Vassa.
' In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu who has en-
tered upon Vassa, finds an ownerless treasure. In
that case, .... (&c, as in § 3, down to) ... . Vassa.
5. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu who has
entered upon Vassa, sees a number of Bhikkhus
who strive to cause divisions in the Sa^gha. In
that case, if that Bhikkhu thinks : " The Blessed
One has said that it is a grievous sin to cause divi-
sions in the Sa^gha ; may no division arise in the
Sa^gha in my presence," let him go away. He is
not guilty of interruption of Vassa.
* In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu who has en-
tered upon Vassa, hears : " A number of Bhikkhus
are striving to cause divisions in the Sa^gha." In
that case, (&c, as in § 5, down to) Vassa.
6. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu who has
entered upon Vassa, hears : " In such and such a
district a number of Bhikkhus are striving to cause
divisions in the Sawgha." If that Bhikkhu thinks :
"Those Bhikkhus are friends of mine; I will say
to them : ' The Blessed One, my friends, has said
that it is a grievous sin to cause divisions in the
Sawgha ; let not divisions in the Sa^gha please you,
Sirs;' then they will do what I say, they will obey
me and give ear," in that case let him go (to that
place). He is not guilty of interruption of Vassa.
7. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu who has entered upon Vassa, hears : " In such and such a
Ill, 12, I. RESIDENCE DURING THE RAINY SEASON. 317
district a number of Bhikkhus are striving to cause
divisions in the Sawgha." If that Bhikkhu thinks :
" Those Bhikkhus are not friends of mine, but their
friends are friends of mine ; to these I will say, and
they will say to their friends : ' The Blessed One,
.... (&c./ as in § 6, down to) Vassa.
8. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu who has
entered upon Vassa, hears: " In such and such a
district divisions in the Sa^gha have been caused
by a number of Bhikkhus." If that Bhikkhu ....
(&c, as in § 6, down to) ... . Vassa.
9. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu who has
entered upon Vassa, hears: "In such and such a
district divisions in the Sa^gha have been caused
by a number of Bhikkhus." If that Bhikkhu ....
(&c, as in § 7) ... . Vassa.
10-13. ' In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu who has
entered upon Vassa, hears: "In such and such a
district a number of Bhikkhunls strive to cause divi-
sions in the Sa^gha .... (&C.1)" '
1. At that time a Bhikkhu desired to enter upon Vassa in a cattle-pen.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to enter upon Vassa in a cattle-pen/
The cattle-pen was moved from its place.
1 See §§ 6-9. Instead of ' A number of Bhikkhus ' in these paragraphs, the subject is ' A number of Bhikkhunis.' Instead of ' Friends' or 'Sirs/ the address is < Sisters/ In §§ 11, 13 read: < Those Bhikkhunis are not friends of mine, but their (female) friends are friends of mine, &c.'
31 8 MAHAVAGGA. Ill, 12, 2.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to go with the cattle-pen/
2. At that time a Bhikkhu, when the time for
entering upon Vassa approached, desired to go on
a journey with a caravan.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to enter upon Vassa in a caravan/
At that time a Bhikkhu, when the time for enter-
ing upon Vassa approached, desired to go on a
journey in a ship.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to enter upon Vassa in a ship/
3. At that time some Bhikkhus entered upon
Vassa in a hollow tree. People were annoyed,
murmured, and became angry : ' (These Bhikkhus
behave) like goblins1/