Tipitaka >> Vinaya Pitaka >> Mahavagga >> First Khandaka >> 1.53
Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg
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THE MAHAVAGGA
FIRST KHANDHAKA(THE FORMATION OF THE ORDER OF BHIKKHUS)
Chapter-53: Buddha Goes to Dakkhinagiri .
1. At that time the Lord Buddha dwelt at Rajagaha during the rainy season, and remained at the same place during winter and summer. The people were annoyed, &c.: 'The (four) regions are . . . . and covered by darkness to the Sakyaputtiya Samanas; they cannot discern the (four) regions.' Some Bhikkhus heard, &c.
2. Then the Lord Buddha said to the venerable Ananda: 'Go, Ananda, take a key and tell the Bhikkhus in every cell: "Friends, the Lord Buddha wishes to go forth to Dakkhinagiri. Let any one of the venerable brethren who thinks fit, come to him."'
The venerable Ananda accepted this order of the Lord Buddha (by saying), 'Yes, Lord,' took a key, and said to the Bhikkhus in every cell: 'Friends, the Lord Buddha,' &c.
3. The Bhikkhus replied: 'Friend Ananda, the Lord Buddha has prescribed that Bhikkhus are to live (the first) ten years in dependence (on their achariyas(teachers) and upajjhayas), and that he who has completed his tenth year, may give a nissaya himself. Now if we go there, we shall be obliged to take a nissaya there; then we shall stay there for a short time, then we must go back again and take a new nissaya. If our achariyas(teachers) and upajjhayas go, we will go also; if our achariyas(teachers) and upajjhayas do not go, we will not go either. Otherwise our light-mindedness, friend Ananda, will become manifest.'
4. Thus the Lord Buddha went forth to Dakkhinagiri followed only by a few Bhikkhus. And the Lord Buddha, after having dwelt at Dakkhinagiri as long as he thought fit, went back to Rajagaha again.
Then the Lord Buddha said to the venerable Ananda: 'How is it, Ananda, that the perfect One has gone forth to Dakkhinagiri with so few Bhikkhus?'
Then the venerable Ananda told the thing to the Lord Buddha.
In consequence of that and on this occasion the Lord Buddha, after having delivered a dhamma discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus(Monks), that a learned, competent Bhikkhu lives five years in dependence (on his achariya(teacher) and upajjhaya), an unlearned one all his life.
5. 'In five cases, O Bhikkhus(Monks), a Bhikkhu should not live without a nissaya (i.e. independent of achariya(teacher) and upajjhaya): when he does not possess full perfection in what belongs to moral practices (&c., as in chap. 36. 2). In these five cases, O Bhikkhus(Monks), a Bhikkhu should not live without a nlssaya.
'In five cases, O Bhikkhus(Monks), a Bhikkhu may live without a nissaya: when he possesses full perfection in what belongs to moral practices (&c., as in chap. 36. 3). In these five cases, O Bhikkhus(Monks), a Bhikkhu may live without a nissaya.
6-13. 'And also in other five cases, &c.'
End of the eighth Bhanavara, which is called the Abhayuvara Bhanavara.
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