Mahavogga 2.12

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

1. At that time the reverend Mahâ Kassapa, when going to the Uposatha from Andhakavinda to Râgagaha, and crossing a river on his way, was neârly being carried away (by the river); and his robes got wet. The Bhikkhus said to the reverend Mahâ Kassapa: 'How have your robes got wet, friend?' (He replied): 'As I was going, friends, to the Uposatha from Andhakavinda to Râgagaha, and crossing a river on my way, I was nearly being carried away (by the river); thus my robes have become wet.'

They told this thing to the Blessed One.

'Let the Samgha, O Bhikkhus, confer on the boundary which it has determined for common residence and for communion of Uposatha, the I character of tikîvarena avippavâsa.

2. 'And you ought, O Bhikkhus, to confer on it this character in this way: Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following ñatti before the Samgha: "Let the Samgha, reverend Sirs, hear me. If the Samgha is ready, let the Samgha confer on the boundary which the Samgha has determined for common residence and for communion of Uposatha. the character of tikîvarena avippavâsa. 'This is the ñatti. Let the Samgha (&c., as above). Thus I understand."'

3. At that time the Bhikkhus, considering that the Blessed One had ordained the conferring of the character of tikîvarena avippavâsa (on the boundaries), deposited their robes in a house. Those robes were lost, bumt, or eaten by rats; the Bhikkhus were badly dressed and had coarse robes. (Other) Bhikkhus said: 'How comes it that you are badly dressed, friends, and that you have coarse robes?' (They replied): 'Considering, friends, that the Blessed One had ordained the conferring (on the boundaries) of the character of tikîvarena avippavâsa, we deposited our robes in a house; the robes have been lost, burnt, or eaten by rats; therefore we are badly dressed and have coarse robes.'

They told this thing to the Blessed One.

'Let the Samgha, O Bhikkhus, confer on the boundary which it has determined for common residence and for communion of Uposatha, the character of tikîvarena avippavâsa, excepting villages and the neighbourhood of villages.

4. 'And yop ought, O Bhikkhus, to confer on it this character in this way, &c.

5. 'Let him who determines a boundary, O Bhikkhus, first determine the boundary for common residence and for communion of Uposatha, and afterwards decree about the tikîvarena avippavâsa. Let him who abolishes a boundary, O Bhikkhus, first abolish the decree about the tikîvarena avippavâsa, and afterwards abolish the boundary for common residence and for communion of Uposatha.

'And you ought, O Bhikkhus, to abolish the tikîvarena avippavâsa in this way: Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following ñatti before the Samgha: "Let the Samgha, reverend Sirs, hear me. If the Samgha is ready, let the Samgha abolish the tikîvarena avippavâsa, which the Samgha has decreed. This is the ñatti. Let the Samgha, &c."

6. 'And you ought, O Bhikkhus, to abolish the boundary in this way: Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following ñatti before the Samgha: "Let the Samgha, reverend Sirs, hear me. If the Samgha is ready, let the Samgha abolish the boundary for common residence and for communion of Uposatha which it has determined. This is the ñatti. Let the Samgha, &c."

7. 'If there is no boundary determined nor fixed, O Bhikkhus, the village boundary of that village, or the nigama boundary ofthat nigama (market town) near which village or nigama (a Bhikkhu) dwells, is to be considered as boundary for common residence and for the communion of Uposatha. If (he lives), O Bhikkhus, in a forest where no villages are, community of residence and Uposatha extends to a distance of seven abbhantaras all around. A river, O Bhikkhus, cannot be a boundary, a sea cannot be a boundary, a natural lake cannot be a boundary. In a river, O Bhikkhus, or in a sea, or in a natural lake, community of residence and Uposatha extends as far as an average man can spirt water all around.'