Mahavagga 10.6

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

MAHAVAGGA

TENTH KHANDHAKA (SCHISMS AMONG THE SANGHA)

Chapter-6.

1. And the venerable Upali went to the place where the Lord Buddha was. Having approached him and respectfully saluted the Lord Buddha, he sat down near him. Sitting near him the venerable Upali said to the Lord Buddha: 'Lord, if the Sangha, regarding a matter which has given origin to altercations (&c., down to:) to schisms among the Sangha, declares the re-establishment of concord, without having inquired into that matter and without having got to the bottom of it, is this declaration, Lord, lawful?'

'If the Sangha, Upali, regarding a matter (&c., down to:) declares the re-establishment of concord, without having inquired into that matter and without having got to the bottom of it,--this declaration, Upali, is unlawful.'

'But if the Sangha, Lord, regarding a matter (&c., down to:) declares the re-establishment of concord, after having inquired -into that matter and after having got to the bottom of it,--is this declaration, Lord, lawful?'

'If the Sangha, Upali, (&c., down to:) declares the re-establishment of concord, after having inquired

into that matter and after having got to the bottom of it,--this declaration, Upali, is lawful.'

2. 'How many kinds are there, Lord, of the re-establishment of concord among a Sangha?'

'There are the following two kinds, Upali, of re-establishment of concord among a Sangha: Con-cord may be re-established, Upali, in the letter, but not in the spirit, and concord may be' re-established both in the spirit and in the letter.

And in what case, Upali, is concord re-established in the letter,' but not in the spirit? If the Sangha, Upali, (&c., as above) declares the re-establishment of concord, without having inquired into that matter and without having got to the bottom of it,--in this case, Upali, concord is said to have been re-established in the letter, but not in the spirit.

'And in what case, Upali, is concord re-established both in the spirit and in the letter? If the Sangha. Upali, (&c., as above) declares the re-establishment of concord, after having inquired into that matter and after having got to the bottom of it,--in this case, Upali, concord is said to have been re-established both in the spirit and in the letter. These, Upali, are the two kinds of re-establishment of concord among a Sangha.'

3. And the venerable Upali rose from his seat, adjusted his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, bent his clasped hands towards the Lord Buddha, and addressed the Lord Buddha in the following stanzas:

'In the affairs of the Sangha and in its consultations, in the business that arises and in trials, what sort of man is then most wanted? what Bhikkhu is then most worthy of the leadership?'

'Above all he who is blameless in his moral conduct, who watches over his behaviour, whose senses are well controlled, whom his rivals do not rebuke according to the law,--for there is nothing for which they could criticize him,

'Such a man, who abides in blameless conduct, is well versed (in the doctrine), and mighty are his words. He is not perplexed, nor does he tremble, when he enters an assembly. He does not disparage his cause by vain talk.

'So also when he is asked questions in the assemblies, he does not hesitate, and is not troubled. By his timely words, that solve the questions, the clever man gladdens the assembly of the wise.

'Full of reverence for elder Bhikkhus(Monks), well versed in what his teacher has taught him, able to find out (the right), a master of speech, and skilled in making his rivals fail,

'By whom his rivals are annihilated, by whom many people receive instruction,--he does not forsake the cause he has taken up, (nor does he become tired) of answering questions and putting questions without hurting others;

'If he is charged with a mission, he takes it upon himself properly, and in the business of the Sangha (he does) what they tell him;--when a number of Bhikkhus send him (somewhere), he obeys

their command, but he does not think, "It is I who do this;"--

'In what cases a Bhikkhu commits an offence, what an offence is, and how it is atoned for, both these expositions are well known to him; he is versed in the rules about offence and atonement;--

'By what deeds a Bhikkhu brings expulsion upon himself, in what cases one has been expelled, and the rehabilitation of a person who has undergone that penance,--all this he also knows, well versed in the Vibhangas;--

'Full of reverence for elder Bhikkhus, for the young, for the Theras, for the middle-aged, bringing welfare to many people, a clever one:--such a Bhikkhu is the one who is then worthy of the leadership.'

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End of the tenth Khandhaka, which contains the story of the Bhikkhus of Kosambi.

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End of the Mahavagga.