Tipitaka >> Vinaya Pitaka >> Mahavagga >> Third Khandaka >> 3.1
Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg
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THE MAHAVAGGA
THIRD KHANDHAKA(RESIDENCE DURING THE RAINY SEASON,VASSA)
Chapter-1 : The Origin Of Vassa System.
1. At that time the Lord Buddha dwelt at Rajagaha, in the Veluvana, in the Kalandakanivapa. At that time the retreat during the rainy season had not yet been instituted by the Lord Buddha for the Bhikkhus. Thus the Bhikkhus went on their travels alike during winter, summer, and the rainy season.
2. People were annoyed, murmured, and became angry, saying, 'How can the Sakyaputtiya Samanas go on their travels alike during winter, summer, and the rainy season? They crush the green herbs, they hurt vegetable life, they destroy the life of many small living things. Shall the ascetics who belong to Titthiya schools, whose doctrine is ill preached, retire during the rainy season and arrange places for themselves to live in? shall the birds make their nests on the summits of the trees, and retire during the rainy season, and arrange themselves places to live in; and yet the Sakyaputtiya Samanas(monks) go on their travels alike during winter, summer, and the rainy season, crushing the green herbs, hurting vegetable life, and destroying the life of many small things?'
3. Now some Bhikkhus heard those people that were annoyed, murmured, and had become angry. These Bhikkhus told this 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 you enter upon vassa(rains).'
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