Mahavagga 9.3

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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-3.

1. At that time the Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus performed official acts in the following ways: they performed unlawful acts before an incomplete congregation (&c., as in Chap-2, §-1, down to:) they performed seemingly lawful acts before a complete congregation; they performed acts without a natti(motion) and with the proclamation (of the kammavaka) they performed acts without a proclamation (of the kammavaka) and with the natti(motion); they performed acts without a natti(motion) and without a proclamation (of the kammavaka); they performed acts contrary to the Dhamma; they performed acts contrary to the Vinaya; they performed acts contrary to the doctrine of the Teacher; and they performed acts against which (the Bhikkhus present) protested, which were unlawful, objectionable, and invalid.

Those Bhikkhus who were moderate, were annoyed, &c. These Bhikkhus told this thing to the Lord Buddha.

'Is it true, as they say, O Bhikkhus, that the Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus, &c.?'

It is true, Lord, &c.'

Having thus rebuked them and delivered a dhamma discourse, he thus addressed the Bhikkhus:

2. 'If an official act, O Bhikkhus, is performed unlawfully by an incomplete congregation, it is no real act and ought not to be performed (&c., down to:). If an official act, O Bhikkhus, is performed against which (the Bhikkhus present) protest, which is unlawful, objectionable, and invalid, this is no real act and ought not to be performed.

3. 'There are, O Bhikkhus, six kinds of official acts (which a Sangha can perform): an unlawful act, an act performed by an incomplete congregation, an act performed by a complete congregation, a seemingly lawful act performed by an incomplete congregation, a seemingly lawful act performed by a complete congregation, a lawful act performed by a complete congregation.

'And which, O Bhikkhus, is an unlawful act? If one performs, O Bhikkhus, a nattidutiya act with one natti, and does not proclaim a kammavaka, such an act is unlawful. If one performs, O Bhikkhus, a nattidutiya act with two natti and does not proclaim a kammavaka. . . . with one kammavaka and does not propose a natti(motion). . . . with two kammavakas and does not propose a natti(motion), such an act is unlawful.

4. 'If one performs, O Bhikkhus, a nattikatuttha act with one natti(motion) and does not proclaim a kammavaka, such an act is unlawful. If one performs, O Bhikkhus, a nattikatuttha act with two (. . three, . . . . four) nattis and does not proclaim a kammavaka, such an act is unlawful. If one performs, O Bhikkhus, a nattikatuttha act with one kammavaka ( . . . . with two, . . . . three, . . . . four kammavakas) and does not propose a natti(motion), such an act is unlawful. Such acts, O Bhikkhus, are called unlawful acts.

5. 'And which, O Bhikkhus, is an act of an incomplete congregation?

'If, O Bhikkhus, at a nattidutiya act not all Bhikkhus, as many as are entitled to vote, are present, if the khanda of those who have to declare their khanda has not been conveyed (to the assembly), and if the Bhikkhus present protest, such an act is performed by an incomplete congregation.

'If, O Bhikkhus, at a nattidutiya act as many Bhikkhus as are entitled to vote, are present, but if the khanda of those who have to declare their khanda has not been conveyed (to the assembly), and if the Bhikkhus present protest, such an act is performed by an incomplete congregation.

'If, O Bhikkhus, at a nattidutiya act as many Bhikkhus as are entitled to vote, are present, if the khanda of those who have to declare their khanda has been conveyed, but if the Bhikkhus present protest, such an act is performed by an incomplete congregation.

'If, O Bhikkhus, at a nattikatuttha act, &c.

'Such acts, O Bhikkhus, are called acts performed by incomplete congregations.

6. 'And which, O Bhikkhus, is an act of a complete congregation?

'If, O Bhikkhus, at a nattidutiya act as many Bhikkhus as are entitled to vote, are present, if the khanda of those who have to declare their khanda has been conveyed (to the assembly), and if the Bhikkhus present do not protest, such an act is performed by a complete congregation.

If, O Bhikkhus, at a nattikatuttha act (&c., as in last section).

Such acts, O Bhikkhus, are called acts performed by complete congregations.

7. 'And which, O Bhikkhus, is a seemingly lawful act performed by an incomplete congregation?

If, O Bhikkhus, at a nattidutiya act the kammavaka is proclaimed first and the natti is proposed afterwards, if not all Bhikkhus, as many as are entitled to vote, are present, &c.

8. 'And which, O Bhikkhus, is a seemingly lawful act performed by a complete congregation?

'If, O Bhikkhus, at a nattidutiya act the kammavaka is proclaimed first and the natti is proposed afterwards, if as many Bhikkhus as are entitled to vote, are present, &c.

9. 'And which, O Bhikkhus, is a lawful act performed by a complete congregation?

'If, O Bhikkhus, at a nattidutiya act the natti is proposed first and afterwards the act is performed with one kammavaka, if as many Bhikkhus as are entitled to vote, are present, if the khanda of those who have to declare their khanda has been conveyed (to the assembly), and if the Bhikkhus present do not protest, such an act is lawful and performed by a complete congregation.

'If, O Bhikkhus, at a nattikatuttha act the natti is proposed first and afterwards the act is performed with three kammavakas, if as many Bhikkhus as are entitled to vote, &c., such an act is lawful and performed by a complete congregation.'