Tipitaka >> Vinaya Pitaka >> Mahavagga >> Third Khandaka >> 3.5
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-5 : To Travel During Vassa For Gifts & For Whom, Within Seven days.
1. And the Lord Buddha, after having resided at Rajagaha as long as he thought fit, went forth to Savatthi. Wandering from place to place he came to Savatthi. There, at Savatthi, the Lord Buddha dwelt in the Jetavana, the garden of Anathapindika.
At that time an upasaka (lay devotee) named Udena, in the Kosala country, had a Vihara(monastery) built for the Sangha. He sent a messenger to the Bhikkhus (saying), 'Might their reverences come here; I desire to bestow gifts (on the Sangha) and to hear the Dhamma and to see the Bhikkhus.'
2. The Bhikkhus replied: 'The Lord Buddha has prescribed, friend, that no one who has entered upon vassa(rains), may go on a journey before he has kept Vassa during the earlier or during the later three months. Let the upasaka Udena wait so long as the Bhikkhus keep their vassa(rains) residence; when they have finished vassa(rains), they will go. But if there is any urgent necessity, let him dedicate the Vihara in presence of the Bhikkhus who reside there.'
3. The upasaka Udena was annoyed, murmured, and became angry (saying), 'How can their reverences, when I send for them, refuse to come? I am a giver and a doer (of good works), and do service to the fraternity.' Some Bhikkhus heard the upasaka Udena, who was annoyed, &c.
These Bhikkhus told the thing to the Lord Buddha.
4. In consequence of that the Lord Buddha, after having delivered a dhamma discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus:
'I allow you, O Bhikkhus(Monks), to go (even during the rainy season), if the affair for which you go can be accomplished in seven days, and if you are sent for, but not if you are not sent for, by a person of one of the following seven classes: Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunis, sikkharnanas. samaneras, samaneris, lay devotees, female lay devotees. I allow you, O Bhikkhus(Monks), to go, if the thing (you go for) can be accomplished in seven days, and if you are sent for, but not if you are not sent for, by a person of one of these seven classes. Within seven days you ought to return.
5. 'In case, O Bhikkhus(Monks), an upasaka has built a Vihara(monastery) for the Sangha. If he sends a messenger to the Bhikkhus (saying), "Might their reverences come here; I desire to bestow gifts (on them) and to hear the Dhamma and to see the Bhikkhus," you ought to go, O Bhikkhus(Monks), if the affair for which you go can be accomplished in seven days, and if he sends for you, but not if he does not send for you. Within seven days you ought to return.
6. 'In case, O Bhikkhus(Monks), an upasaka has built for the Sangha an addhayoga. has built a storied house, has built an attic, has constructed a cave, a cell, a store-room, a refectory, a fire-room, a warehouse, a privy, a place to walk in, a house to walk in, a well, a well house, a gantaghara, a gantaghara room, a lotus-pond, a pavilion, a park, or has prepared the site for a park. If he sends a messenger to the Bhikkhus, . . . . (&c., as in § 5, down to the end of the section).
7. 'In case, O Bhikkhus(Monks), an upasaka has built for a number of Bhikkhus an addhayoga . . . . (&c., as in § 6 to the end of the section), . . . . for one Bhikkhu a Vihara(monastery), an addhayoga, a storied house. . . . (&c., as in § 6 to the end).
8. 'In case, O Bhikkhus(Monks), an upasaka has built for the sisterhood of Bhikkhunis, &c., for a number of Bhikkhunis, for one Bhikkhuni, for a number of sikkhamanas, for one sikkhamana, for a number of samaneras, for one samanera, for a number of samaneris, for one samaneri a Vihara(monastery), &c. If he sends a messenger to the Bhikkhus, &c.
9. 'In case, O Bhikkhus(Monks), an upasaka has built for his own use a residence, a sleeping room, a stable, a tower, a one-peaked building, a shop, a boutique, a storied house, an attic, a cave, a cell, a store-room, a refectory, a fire-room, a kitchen, a privy, a place to waIk in, a house to walk in, a well, a well house, a gantaghara, a gantaghara room, a lotus-pond, a pavilion, a park, or has prepared the site for a park; or that his son is to choose a consort; or that his daughter is to choose a consort; or that he is sick; or that he knows how to recite a celebrated suttanta. If he sends a messenger to the Bhikkhus (saying), "Might their reverences come and learn this suttanta; otherwise this suttanta will fall into oblivion;"--or if he has any other business or any work to be done; and if he sends a messenger to the Bhikkhus (saying), "Might their reverences come here" (&c.) then you ought to go (&c., as in § 5, down to:) you ought to return.
10-12. 'In case, O Bhikkhus(Monks), an upasika has built a Vihara(monastery) for the Sangha (&c., as in §§ 5-91).
13. 'In case, O Bhikkhus(Monks), a Bhikkhu has built, &c., a Bhikkhuni, a sikkharnana, a samanera, a samaneri has built for the Sangha, for a number of Bhikkhus, for one Bhikkhu, for the sisterhood of Bhikkhunis, for one samaneri, for his own use, a Vihara (&c., as in § 8).'
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