Vinaya (2): The Mahavagga
by T. W. Rhys Davids | 1881 | 156,382 words
The Mahavagga (part of the Vinaya collection) includes accounts of Gautama Buddha’s and the ten principal disciples� awakenings, as well as rules for ordination, rules for reciting the Patimokkha during uposatha days, and various monastic procedures....
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Mahavagga, Khandaka 3, Chapter 5
1. And the Blessed One, after having resided at Ჹ as long as he thought fit, went forth to 屹ٳٳ. Wandering from place to place he came to 屹ٳٳ. There, at 屹ٳٳ, the Blessed One dwelt in the Jetavana, the garden of ٳ辱ṇḍ첹.
At that time an ܱ첹 (lay devotee) named Udena, in the Kosala country, had a վ built for the ṃg. He sent a messenger to the Bhikkhus (saying), 'Might their reverences come hither; I desire to bestow gifts (on the ṃg) and to hear the Dhamma and to see the Bhikkhus.'
2. The Bhikkhus replied: 'The Blessed One has prescribed, friend, that no one who has entered upon Vassa, may go on a journey before he has kept Vassa during the earlier or during the later three months. Let the ܱ첹 Udena wait so long as the Bhikkhus keep their Vassa residence; when they have finished Vassa, they will go. But if there is any urgent necessity, let him dedicate the վ in presence of the Bhikkhus who reside there.'
3. The ܱ첹 Udena was annoyed, murmured, and became angry (saying), 'How can their reverences, when I send for them, refuse to come? I am a giver and a doer (of good works), and do service to the fraternity.' Some Bhikkhus heard the ܱ첹 Udena, who was annoyed, &c.
These Bhikkhus told the thing to the Blessed One.
4. In consequence of that the Blessed One, after having delivered a religious discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus:
'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to go (even during the rainy season), if the affair for which you go can be accomplished in seven days, and if you are sent for, but not if you are not sent for, by a person of one of the following seven classes: Bhikkhus, ܲī, sikkharnānās[1]. 峾ṇe, 峾ṇeī, lay devotees, female lay devotees. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to go, if the thing (you go for) can be accomplished in seven days, and if you are sent for, but not if you are not sent for, by a person of one of these seven classes. Within seven days you ought to return.
5. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, an ܱ첹 has built a վ for the ṃg. If he sends a messenger to the Bhikkhus (saying), "Might their reverences come hither; I desire to bestow gifts (on them) and to hear the Dhamma and to see the Bhikkhus," you ought to go, O Bhikkhus, if the affair for which you go can be accomplished in seven days, and if he sends for you, but not if he does not send for you. Within seven days you ought to return.
6. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, an ܱ첹 has built for the ṃg an ḍḍDz[2]. has built a storied house, has built an attic, has constructed a cave, a cell, a store-room, a refectory, a fire-room, a warehouse[3], a privy, a place to walk in, a house to walk in, a well, a well house, a ᲹԳ岵[4], a ᲹԳ岵 room[5], a lotus-pond, a pavilion, a park, or has prepared the site for a park. If he sends a messenger to the Bhikkhus, . . . . (&c., as in § 5, down to the end of the section).
7. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, an ܱ첹 has built for a number of Bhikkhus an ḍḍDz . . . . (&c., as in § 6 to the end of the section), . . . . for one Bhikkhu a վ, an ḍḍDz, a storied bouse. . . . (&c., as in § 6 to the end).
8. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, an ܱ첹 has built for the sisterhood of ܲī, &c., for a number of ܲī, for one ܲī, for a number of sikkhamānās, for one sikkhamānā, for a number of 峾ṇe, for one 峾ṇe, for a number of 峾ṇeī, for one 峾ṇeī a վ, &c.[6] If he sends a messenger to the Bhikkhus, &c.
9. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, an ܱ첹 has built for his own use a residence, a sleeping room, a stable[7], a tower, a one-peaked building[8], a shop, a boutique, a storied house, an attic, a cave, a cell, a store-room, a refectory, a fire-room, a kitchen, a privy, a place to waIk in, a house to walk in, a well, a well house, a ᲹԳ岵, a ᲹԳ岵 room, a lotus-pond, a pavilion, a park, or has prepared the site for a park; or that his son is to choose a consort; or that his daughter is to choose a consort; or that he is sick; or that he knows how to recite a celebrated suttanta. If he sends a messenger to the Bhikkhus (saying), "Might their reverences come and learn this suttanta; otherwise this suttanta will fall into oblivion;"—or if he has any other business or any work to be done; and if he sends a messenger to the Bhikkhus (saying), "Might their reverences come hither" (&c.) then you ought to go (&c., as in § 5, down to:) you ought to return.
10-12. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, an ܱ has built a վ for the ṃg (&c., as in §§ 5-9[9]).
13. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu has built, &c., a ܲī, a sikkharnānā, a 峾ṇe, a 峾ṇeī has built for the ṃg, for a number of Bhikkhus, for one Bhikkhu, for the sisterhood of ܲī, for one 峾ṇeī, for his own use, a վ (&c., as in § 8).'
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
See the note on II, 36, I.
[2]:
See the note on I, 30, 4.
[3]:
This translation of kappiyakuṭi is merely conjectural; comp. kappiyabhūmī VI, 33.
[4]:
See the note on I, 25, 12.
[5]:
See Cullavagga V, 16, I.
[6]:
The enumeration of edifices is identical with that given in § 6, but in the cases beginning with that of the sisterhood of ܲī (according to Buddhaghosa; we believe that the two cases referring to 峾ṇe ought to be excepted) three of the edifices are left out, viz. the privy, the ᲹԳ岵, and the ᲹԳ岵 room, the' use of which is forbidden to nuns; see Cullavagga X, 27, 3, 4.
[7]:
See Abhidhānapp. v. 213, and compare assabhaṇḍa, hatthibhanda (Mahāvagga I, 61, I).
[8]:
See Abhidhānapp. v. 309.
[9]:
Only it is said here of the Bhikkhus, ayyā, 'the noble ones,' instead of bhaddantā, 'their reverences.'