Mahavagga 9.4

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Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

MAHAVAGGA

NINTH KHANDHAKA (VALIDITY AND INVALIDITY OF FORMAL ACTS OF THE SANGHA)

Chapter-4.

1. 'There are five kinds of Sanghas: the Bhikkhu(Monk) Sangha consisting of four persons, the Bhikkhu Sangha consisting of five persons. . . . of ten persons. . . . of twenty persons. . . . of more than twenty persons.

'In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu Sangha consist of four persons, and acts lawfully, and is complete, it is entitled to perform all official acts except three acts, that is, the upasampada ordination, pavarana, and abbhana.

'In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu Sangha consist of five persons, and acts lawfully, and is complete, it is entitled to perform all official acts except

two acts, that is, the upasampada ordination in the central countries and abbhana.

'In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu Sangha consist of ten persons, and acts lawfully, and is complete, it is entitled to perform all official acts except one, namely, abbhana.

'In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu Sangha consist of twenty persons, and acts lawfully, and is complete, it is entitled to perform all official acts.

'In case, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu Sangha consist of more than twenty persons, and acts lawfully, and is complete, it is entitled to perform all official acts.

2. 'An official act, O Bhikkhus, which requires the presence of four persons, if performed by a congregation in which a Bhikkhuni(Nun) is the fourth, is no real act, and ought not to be performed. An official act, O Bhikkhus, which requires the presence of four persons, if performed by a congregation in which a sikkhamana is the fourth,. . . . in which a samanera, &c. , is the fourth,. . . . in which a person belonging to another communion is the fourth,. . . . in which a person staying within a different boundary is the fourth,. . . . in which a person poised in the air by supernatural power is

the fourth,. . . . in which a person against whom the Sangha institutes a proceeding is the fourth--is no real act and ought not to be performed.'

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End of the regulations about acts performed by four persons.