Mahavogga 4.3

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Translated from the Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

1. Now the Bhikkhus thought: 'How many Pavâranâ (days) are there?'

They told this thing to the Blessed One.

'There are the two following Pavâranâ (days), O Bhikkhus: the fourteenth and the fifteenth (of the half month); these are the two Pavâranâ (days), O Bhikkhus.'

2. Now the Bhikkhus thought: 'How many Pavâranâ services are there?'

They told this thing to the Blessed One.

'There are the four followingPavâranâ services. O Bhikkhus, &c.'

3. Then the Blessed One thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'Assemble, O Bhikkhus, the Samgha will hold Pavâranâ.' When he had spoken thus, a certain Bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: 'There is a sick Bhikkhu, Lord, who is not present.'

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that a sick Bhikkhu shall declare (lit. give) his Pavâranâ. And let him declare it, O Bhikkhus, in this way: Let that sick Bhikkhu go to some Bhikkhu, adjust his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, sit down squatting, raise his joined hands, and say: "I declare my Pavâranâ, take my Pavâranâ, perform the Pavâranâ for me." If he expresses this by gesture, or by word, or by gesture and word, the Pavâranâ has been declared. If he does not express this by gesture, &c., the Pavâranâ has not been declared.

4-5. 'If (the sick Bhikkhu) succeeds in doing so, well and good. If he do es not succeed, let them take that sick Bhikkhu, O Bhikkhus, on his bed or his chair to the assembly, &c.

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus. that on the day of Pavâranâ he who declares his Pavâranâ, is to declare also his consent (to acts to be performed eventually by the Order), for (both declarations) are required for the Samgha (and for the validity of its acts).'