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"Bhikkhus, the Pātimokkha should not be recited according to your own assemblies, each in your own assembly. Whoever recites it, commits an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, bhikkhus, the Uposatha ceremony for those who are in concord." Then it occurred to the bhikkhus – "The Blessed One has laid down 'the Uposatha ceremony for those in concord'." "How far, then, is concord? As far as one dwelling, or indeed all the earth?" is it?” They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “I allow, monks, that unity extends as far as one dwelling.” 70. The Story of Mahākappina 137. At that time, the Venerable Mahākappina was dwelling in Rājagaha, in the Maddakucchi Deer Park. Then, as the Venerable Mahākappina was in seclusion, withdrawn, this thought arose in his mind: “Should I go to the Uposatha, or should I not go? Should I go to the Sangha-act, or should I not go? Indeed, I am purified with the highest purification.” Then the Blessed One, knowing the thought in the Venerable Mahākappina’s mind with His own mind—just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm—even so, having vanished from Gijjhakūṭa Mountain, He appeared before the Venerable Mahākappina in the Maddakucchi Deer Park. The Blessed One sat down on the seat prepared. The Venerable Mahākappina, too, having saluted the Blessed One, sat down to one side. To the Venerable Mahākappina, seated to one side, the Blessed One said this: “Kappina, did not this thought arise in your mind as you were in seclusion, withdrawn: ‘Should I go to the Uposatha, or should I not go? Should I go to the Sangha-act, or should I not go? Indeed, I am purified with the highest purification’?” “Yes, Venerable Sir.” “If you, brahmins, do not respect the Uposatha, do not revere it, do not honor it, do not worship it, then who indeed will respect the Uposatha, revere it, honor it, worship it? Go, brahmin, to the Uposatha, do not fail to go. Go to the Sangha-act, do not fail to go.” “Yes, Venerable Sir,” the Venerable Mahākappina replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, having instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened the Venerable Mahākappina with a Dhamma talk—just as Just as a strong man might extend his bent arm, or bend his extended arm, even so – from Maddakucchi in the Deer Park, in front of Venerable Mahākappina, he vanished, and appeared on Vulture Peak Mountain. 71. Permission for Boundaries 138. Then it occurred to the bhikkhus – "The Blessed One has declared, 'Unity is as far as one dwelling.' How far, then, is one dwelling?" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I permit, bhikkhus, to establish a boundary. And thus, bhikkhus, it should be established – first, the marks should be declared – a mountain mark, a rock mark, a forest mark, a tree mark, a path mark, an anthill mark, a river mark, a water mark. Having declared the marks, a competent and able bhikkhu should inform the Saṅgha – 139. "May the Saṅgha, Venerables, hear me. The marks all around have been declared. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha should establish a boundary with these marks, for common residence and one Uposatha. This is the motion. "May the Saṅgha, Venerables, hear me. The marks all around have been declared. The Saṅgha establishes a boundary with these marks, for common residence and one Uposatha. To whichever venerable it is agreeable that the boundary be established with these marks, for common residence and one Uposatha, he should remain silent; whoever is not agreeable, he should speak. The boundary is established by the Saṅgha with these marks, for common residence and one Uposatha. It is agreeable to the Saṅgha, therefore it is silent, thus do I hold this." 140. Now at that time, the group of six bhikkhus – thinking, "The Blessed One has permitted the establishment of a boundary" – established excessively large boundaries, four yojanas, five yojanas, or six yojanas. Bhikkhus coming for the Uposatha arrived while the Pātimokkha was being recited, or arrived just after it was recited, or stayed overnight in between. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Bhikkhus, an excessively large boundary is not... should not be designated, whether four leagues, or five leagues, or six leagues. Whoever designates it, incurs an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, monks, that a boundary up to three leagues may be designated. At that time, the group of six monks designated a boundary across a river. The monks coming for the Uposatha were swept away, their bowls were swept away, their robes were swept away. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. Monks, a boundary across a river should not be designated. Whoever designates it, incurs an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, monks, where there is a permanent boat or a permanent bridge, such a boundary across a river may be designated. 72. Discourse on the Uposatha Hall 141. At that time, the monks recited the Pātimokkha in the surrounding cloisters without a sign. The visiting monks did not know, "Where will the Uposatha be held today?" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. Monks, the Pātimokkha should not be recited in the surrounding cloisters without a sign. Whoever recites it, incurs an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, monks, to designate an Uposatha hall and hold the Uposatha, whatever the Sangha desires: a monastery, or a half-gabled house, or a mansion, or a turreted house, or a cave. And thus, monks, it should be designated. A competent and capable monk should inform the Sangha: "May the Sangha, venerable sirs, hear me. If it is agreeable to the Sangha, the Sangha may designate such-and-such a monastery as an Uposatha hall. This is the motion. "May the Sangha, venerable sirs, hear me. The Sangha designates such-and-such a monastery as an Uposatha hall. Whoever among the venerable ones approves of the designation of such-and-such a monastery as an Uposatha hall, let him be silent; whoever disapproves, let him speak. Such-and-such a monastery is designated by the Sangha as an Uposatha hall. The Sangha approves, therefore it is silent. Thus do I hold this." At that time, in a certain dwelling, two Uposatha halls were designated. The monks monks gather in two places— “Here the Uposatha will be held, here the Uposatha will be held.” They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Monks, in one dwelling, two Uposatha halls should not be designated. Whoever designates, there is an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, monks, having removed one, to hold the Uposatha in one place. And thus, monks, it should be removed. A competent and capable monk should inform the Saṅgha: ‘May the Saṅgha, venerable sirs, listen to me. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha would remove the Uposatha hall named so-and-so. This is the motion. May the Saṅgha, venerable sirs, listen to me. The Saṅgha removes the Uposatha hall named so-and-so. To whichever venerable one the removal of the Uposatha hall named so-and-so is agreeable, he should remain silent; to whom it is not agreeable, he should speak. The Uposatha hall named so-and-so has been removed by the Saṅgha. It is agreeable to the Saṅgha, therefore it is silent. Thus I hold this.’ ” 73. Permission for the Uposatha Enclosure 142. At that time, in a certain dwelling, a very small Uposatha hall had been designated. On that Uposatha day, a large Saṅgha of monks had gathered. The monks sat on undesignated ground and listened to the Pātimokkha. Then it occurred to those monks: “The Blessed One has laid down, ‘Having designated an Uposatha hall, the Uposatha should be held.’ But we sat on undesignated ground and listened to the Pātimokkha. Has our Uposatha been held, or not held?” They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Monks, whether sitting on designated ground or on undesignated ground, from wherever one hears the Pātimokkha, his Uposatha has been held. Therefore, monks, as large an Uposatha enclosure as the Saṅgha desires, so large an Uposatha enclosure should the Saṅgha designate. And thus, monks, it should be designated. First, the boundaries should be recited. Having recited the boundaries, Having informed the Sangha by a competent, able bhikkhu: "May the Sangha, venerable sirs, listen to me. The boundaries have been proclaimed all around. If it is agreeable to the Sangha, the Sangha should approve the Uposatha, beginning with these boundaries. This is the motion. "May the Sangha, venerable sirs, listen to me. The boundaries have been proclaimed all around. The Sangha approves the Uposatha, beginning with these boundaries. If it is agreeable to any venerable one that the Uposatha, beginning with these boundaries, be approved, let him be silent; if it is not agreeable, let him speak. The Uposatha, beginning with these boundaries, has been approved by the Sangha. It is agreeable to the Sangha, therefore it is silent. Thus do I hold this." Now at that time, in a certain dwelling, on the Uposatha day, the junior bhikkhus assembled first and departed, saying, "The elders have not yet come." The Uposatha took place at an improper time. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, that on the Uposatha day, the elder bhikkhus should assemble first." Now at that time, in Rājagaha, there were many dwellings with the same boundary. There the bhikkhus disputed: "Let the Uposatha be held in our dwelling! Let the Uposatha be held in our dwelling!" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Here, bhikkhus, there are many dwellings with the same boundary. There the bhikkhus dispute: 'Let the Uposatha be held in our dwelling! Let the Uposatha be held in our dwelling!' Those bhikkhus, bhikkhus, should all assemble together and hold the Uposatha. Or wherever an elder bhikkhu resides, they should assemble there and hold the Uposatha. But the Uposatha should not be held by a divided Sangha. Whoever should do so, there is an offense of wrong-doing." 74. Permission for an Undivided Boundary 143. Now at that time,