English
3. The Chapter on the Rains-Residence 107. Permission for the Rains-Residence 184. At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was staying in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels' Feeding Place. At that time, the Blessed One had not prescribed the Rains-residence for the bhikkhus. So the bhikkhus wandered on tour in winter, in summer, and in the rainy season. People complained, grumbled, and criticized: "How can these Sakyan recluses wander on tour in winter, in summer, and in the rainy season, crushing green plants, harming one-facultied life, destroying many small creatures? These other sectarians, whose doctrine is ill-proclaimed, take up and settle into the Rains-residence. These birds, having built nests in treetops, take up and settle into the Rains-residence. But these Sakyan recluses wander on tour in winter, in summer, and in the rainy season, crushing green plants, harming one-facultied life, destroying many small creatures." The bhikkhus heard those people complaining, grumbling, and criticizing. Then those bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, on account of this cause, on account of this matter, gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the bhikkhus: "I allow, bhikkhus, to enter upon the Rains-residence." Then it occurred to the bhikkhus: "When, indeed, should one enter upon the Rains-residence?" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, to enter upon the Rains-residence in the rainy season." Then it occurred to the bhikkhus: "How many, indeed, are the Rains-residences?" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "There are two Rains-residences, bhikkhus: the early and the late. The early one should be entered upon when the month of Āsāḷhī has not yet passed; the late one should be entered upon when the month of Āsāḷhī has passed. These, bhikkhus, are the two Rains-residences." The permission for the Rains-residence is finished. Here. 108. Prohibition of wandering during the rains, etc. 185. Now at that time, the group of six monks, having entered the rains retreat, wandered during the rains. People complained, grumbled, and criticized, saying, "How can these Sakyan recluses wander during winter, summer, and the rains, crushing green grass, harming one-sensed life, and destroying many small creatures? These other sectarians, whose doctrine is ill-proclaimed, take refuge and settle down for the rains retreat. These birds, having built nests in treetops, take refuge and settle down for the rains retreat. But these Sakyan recluses wander during winter, summer, and and the rains, crushing green grass, harming one-sensed life, and destroying many small creatures." The monks heard these people complaining, grumbling, and criticizing. Those monks who were of few desires...pe... complained, grumbled, and criticized, saying, "How can the group of six monks, having entered the rains retreat, wander during the rains?" Then those monks reported this matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, on this occasion, in this connection, gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the monks, saying, "Monks, having entered the rains retreat, one should not set out on a wandering tour before the first three months or the last three months have ended. Whoever sets out, commits an offense of wrong-doing." 186. Now at that time, the group of six monks did not wish to enter the rains retreat. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, one should not fail to enter the rains retreat. Whoever fails to enter, commits an offense of wrong-doing." Now at that time, the group of six monks, not wishing to enter the rains retreat on the day of the rains entry, intentionally passed beyond the dwelling. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, on the day of the rains entry... One who does not wish to enter the rains retreat in a certain dwelling should intentionally pass by that dwelling. If he passes by, there is an offense of wrong-doing. At that time, King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha wished to postpone the rains retreat. He sent a messenger to the bhikkhus: "If the venerable ones would enter the rains retreat in the month of June (Jyeṣṭha)." They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, to comply with kings." The prohibitions on wandering during the rains retreat, etc., are concluded. 109. Permission for a seven-day task 187. Then the Blessed One, having stayed in Rājagaha as long as he wished, set out on a journey towards Sāvatthī. Wandering by stages, he arrived at Sāvatthī. There the Blessed One was staying in Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. At that time, in the Kosala country, a monastery had been built by the lay follower Udena for the Sangha. He sent a messenger to the bhikkhus: "Venerable sirs, please come! I wish to give a gift, to hear the Dhamma, and to see the bhikkhus." The bhikkhus said: "Friends, the Blessed One has laid down a rule: 'Having entered the rains retreat, one should not set out on a journey without completing the first three months or the last three months.' Let the lay follower Udena wait until the bhikkhus have completed the rains retreat. They will come after the rains retreat. But if he has an urgent matter, let him establish the monastery with the resident bhikkhus there." The lay follower Udena grumbled, complained, and criticized: "How is it that the venerable ones do not come when I send for them? I am a giver, a doer, a supporter of the Sangha!" The bhikkhus heard the lay follower Udena grumbling, complaining, and criticizing. Then those bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, on this occasion, in this connection, gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the bhikkhus: "I allow, bhikkhus, to go when sent for a seven-day task, not beyond not when uninvited. For a bhikkhu, for a bhikkhuni, for a sikkhamana, for a sāmaṇera, for a sāmaṇerī, for a lay follower (male), for a lay follower (female) – I allow, monks, these seven to go when sent for, for a seven-day task, but not when uninvited. A seven-day stay should be made. 188. Here, monks, a lay follower has had a monastery built for the Saṅgha. If he sends a messenger to the bhikkhus – "Come, venerable sirs, I wish to give a gift, to hear the Dhamma, and to see the bhikkhus," it is permissible to go, monks, for a seven-day task, when sent for, but not when uninvited. A seven-day stay should be made. Here, monks, a lay follower has had built for the Saṅgha: a half-cell... a palace... a storied mansion... a cave... an enclosure... a store-room... a service hall... a fire-room... a suitable hut... a latrine... a cloister... a cloister-hall... a well... a well-house... a hot-bath house... a hot-bath hall... a pond... a pavilion... a park... a park-site. If he sends a messenger to the bhikkhus – "Come, venerable sirs, I wish to give a gift, to hear the Dhamma, and to see the bhikkhus," it is permissible to go, monks, for a seven-day task, when sent for, but not when uninvited. A seven-day stay should be made. Here, monks, a lay follower has had built for many bhikkhus... or for a single bhikkhu: a monastery has been built... a half-cell has been built... a palace has been built... a storied mansion has been built... a cave has been built... an enclosure has been built... a store-room has been built... a service hall has been built... a fire-room... A shed has been built... A suitable hut has been built... A latrine has been built... A cloister walk has been built... A cloister walk hall has been built... A well has been built... A well house has been built... A hot-bath house has been built... A hot-bath house hall has been built... A pond has been built... A pavilion has been built... A park has been built... A park site has been built. If he sends a messenger to the bhikkhus – "Venerables, please come, I wish to give a gift, to hear the Dhamma, and to see the bhikkhus," you should go, monks, for a seven-day stay, when invited, but not when uninvited. A seven-day stay should be made. Here, monks, by a lay follower, for the Bhikkhuni Saṅgha... for many bhikkhunis... for one bhikkhuni... for many female trainees... for one female trainee... for many male novices... for one male novice... for many female novices... for one female novice, a monastery has been built... a half-gabled house has been built... a palace has been built... a mansion has been built... a cave has been built... an enclosure has been built... a store-room has been built... a service hall has been built... a fire hall has been built... a suitable hut has been built... a cloister walk has been built... a cloister walk hall has been built... a well has been built... a well house has been built... a pond has been built... a pavilion has been built... a park has been built... a park site has been built. If he sends a messenger to the bhikkhus – "Venerables, please come, I wish to give a gift, to hear the Dhamma, and to see the bhikkhus," you should go, monks, for a seven-day stay, when invited, but not when uninvited. A seven-day stay should be made. 189. Here, monks, by a lay follower, for his own purpose, a dwelling has been built... A monastery has been caused to be built... ...a sleeping house has been caused to be built... a dwelling has been caused to be built... a watchtower has been caused to be built... a mansion has been caused to be built... a shop has been caused to be built... a market hall has been caused to be built... a palace has been caused to be built... a storied mansion has been caused to be built... a cave dwelling has been caused to be built... an enclosure has been caused to be built... a storehouse has been caused to be built... a service hall has been caused to be built... a fire hall has been caused to be built... a refectory has been caused to be built... a cloister walk has been caused to be built... a cloister hall has been caused to be built... a well has been caused to be built...