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Then a competent and capable monk should inform the Sangha: "May the Sangha hear me, venerable sirs. By monks quarreling, for the most part, the night has been spent. If the Sangha performs the three-time Pavāraṇā, the Sangha will remain un-Pavāraṇāed, and this night will break. If it is suitable for the Sangha, may the Sangha perform the two-time, one-time, or same-year Pavāraṇā." Now at that time, in a certain dwelling in the Kosala country, on the day of Pavāraṇā, a large assembly of monks had gathered, and there was little time without rain, and a great cloud had arisen. Then it occurred to those monks: "This large assembly of monks has gathered, and there is little time without rain, and a great cloud has arisen. If the Sangha performs the three-time Pavāraṇā, the Sangha will remain un-Pavāraṇāed, and this cloud will rain. How should we proceed?" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. Here, monks, in a certain dwelling, on the day of Pavāraṇā, a large assembly of monks has gathered, and there is little time without rain, and a great cloud has arisen. If there, it occurs to the monks thus: "This large assembly of monks has gathered, and there is little time without rain, and a great cloud has arisen. If the Sangha performs the three-time Pavāraṇā, the Sangha will remain un-Pavāraṇāed, and this cloud will rain." Then a competent and capable monk should inform the Sangha: "May it hear me, Venerable sirs, the Sangha. This great assembly of bhikkhus has gathered, and there is little shelter from rain, and a great cloud has risen. If the Sangha performs the three-time Pavāraṇā, the Sangha will remain un-Pavāraṇāed, and then this cloud will rain. If it is suitable for the Sangha, the Sangha may perform the two-time, or one-time, or same-vassa Pavāraṇā. Here, bhikkhus, in a certain dwelling, on the day of Pavāraṇā, there is an obstacle from the king... ...an obstacle from robbers... ...an obstacle from fire... ...an obstacle from water... ...an obstacle from humans... ...an obstacle from non-humans... ...an obstacle from wild animals... ...an obstacle from creeping things... ...an obstacle to life... ...an obstacle to the holy life. If it occurs to the bhikkhus thus: "This is an obstacle to the holy life. If the Sangha performs the three-time Pavāraṇā, the Sangha will remain un-Pavāraṇāed, and then this obstacle to the holy life will occur," then a competent and capable bhikkhu should inform the Sangha: "May the Sangha, venerable sirs, listen to me. This is an obstacle to the holy life. If the Sangha performs the three-time Pavāraṇā, the Sangha will remain un-Pavāraṇāed, and then this obstacle to the holy life will occur. If it is suitable for the Sangha, the Sangha may perform the two-time, or one-time, or same-vassa Pavāraṇā." The two-time, etc., Pavāraṇā is concluded. 141. Suspension of Pavāraṇā 235. Now at that time, the group of six bhikkhus performed Pavāraṇā while having an offense. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. Bhikkhus, one who has an offense should not perform Pavāraṇā. Whoever performs Pavāraṇā, there is an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, bhikkhus, that if one who has an offense performs Pavāraṇā, having him grant permission, he should be charged with the offense. Now at that time, the group of six bhikkhus, when asked to grant permission, did not wish to grant permission. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. I allow, bhikkhus, to suspend the Pavāraṇā of one who does not grant permission. And thus, bhikkhus, it should be suspended. On the day of Pavāraṇā, on the fourteenth or fifteenth day, Or, when that person is present, it should be declared in the midst of the Sangha: "May the Sangha, Venerable Sirs, listen to me. This person, so-and-so, is guilty of an offense. I suspend his Pavāraṇā. He should not perform Pavāraṇā while present." Thus, the Pavāraṇā is suspended. Now at that time, the group of six bhikkhus— thinking, "Before us, the scrupulous bhikkhus suspend Pavāraṇā"— prematurely suspended the Pavāraṇā of pure, blameless bhikkhus, without cause or reason, and suspended the Pavāraṇā even of those who had already performed it. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Bhikkhus, the Pavāraṇā of pure, blameless bhikkhus should not be suspended without cause or reason. Whoever suspends it incurs an offense of wrong-doing. Bhikkhus, the Pavāraṇā of those who have already performed it should not be suspended. Whoever suspends it incurs an offense of wrong-doing." 236. "Thus, bhikkhus, is Pavāraṇā suspended, and thus is it not suspended. And how, bhikkhus, is Pavāraṇā not suspended? If, bhikkhus, one suspends Pavāraṇā after the three-time Pavāraṇā has been spoken, declared, and completed, then the Pavāraṇā is not suspended. If, bhikkhus, after the two-time... If, bhikkhus, after the one-time... If, bhikkhus, one suspends Pavāraṇā after the Pavāraṇā of equal residence has been spoken, declared, and completed, then the Pavāraṇā is not suspended. Thus, bhikkhus, is Pavāraṇā not suspended. And how, bhikkhus, is Pavāraṇā suspended? If, bhikkhus, one suspends Pavāraṇā after the three-time Pavāraṇā has been spoken and declared, but not completed, then the Pavāraṇā is suspended. If, bhikkhus, after the two-time... If, bhikkhus, after the one-time... If, bhikkhus, one suspends Pavāraṇā after the Pavāraṇā of equal residence has been spoken and declared, but not completed, then the Pavāraṇā is suspended. Thus, bhikkhus, is Pavāraṇā suspended. 237. "Here, bhikkhus, on the day of Pavāraṇā, a bhikkhu suspends the Pavāraṇā of another bhikkhu. If other bhikkhus... They know: "This venerable one, indeed, has impure bodily conduct, has impure verbal conduct, has an impure livelihood, is foolish, is unskilled, is not capable of giving an answer when questioned." "Enough, bhikkhu! No quarreling! No contention! No dispute! No controversy!" Having suppressed, the Sangha should make the invitation. But here, monks, on the day of Pavāraṇā, a bhikkhu sets aside the Pavāraṇā of another bhikkhu. If other monks know that bhikkhu: "This venerable one, indeed, has pure bodily conduct, has impure verbal conduct, has an impure livelihood, is foolish, is unskilled, is not capable of giving an answer when questioned." "Enough, bhikkhu! No quarreling! No contention! No dispute! No controversy!" Having suppressed, the Sangha should make the invitation. But here, monks, on the day of Pavāraṇā, a bhikkhu sets aside the Pavāraṇā of another bhikkhu. If other monks know that bhikkhu: "This venerable one, indeed, has pure bodily conduct, has pure verbal conduct, has an impure livelihood, is foolish, is unskilled, is not capable of giving an answer when questioned." "Enough, bhikkhu! No quarreling! No contention! No dispute! No controversy!" Having suppressed, the Sangha should make the invitation. But here, monks, on the day of Pavāraṇā, a bhikkhu sets aside the Pavāraṇā of another bhikkhu. If other monks know that bhikkhu: "This venerable one, indeed, has pure bodily conduct, has pure verbal conduct, has pure livelihood, is foolish, is unskilled, is not capable of giving an answer when questioned." "Enough, bhikkhu! No quarreling! No contention! No dispute! No controversy!" Having suppressed, the Sangha should make the invitation. But here, monks, on the day of Pavāraṇā, a bhikkhu sets aside the Pavāraṇā of another bhikkhu. If other monks know that bhikkhu: "This venerable one, indeed, has pure bodily conduct, has pure verbal conduct, has pure livelihood, is wise, is skilled, is capable of giving an answer... to give." He should be told thus: "Friend, concerning the declaration of this bhikkhu that you set aside, on what did you set it aside? Did you set it aside for a lapse in conduct? Did you set it aside for a lapse in behavior? Did you set it aside for a lapse in view?" If he should say thus: "I set it aside for a lapse in conduct, I set it aside for a lapse in behavior, I set it aside for a lapse in view," he should be told thus: "Does the venerable one know a lapse in conduct? Does he know a lapse in behavior? Does he know a lapse in view?" If he should say thus: "Indeed, friend, I know a lapse in conduct, I know a lapse in behavior, I know a lapse in view," he should be told thus: "But friend, what is a lapse in conduct? What is a lapse in behavior? What is a lapse in view?" If he should say thus: "The four pārājikas, the thirteen saṅghādisesas, this is a lapse in conduct; the thullaccaya, the pācittiya, the pāṭidesanīya, the dukkaṭa, the dubbhāsita, this is a lapse in behavior; wrong view, extreme-grasping view, this is a lapse in view," he should be told thus: "Friend, concerning the declaration of this bhikkhu that you set aside, did you set it aside by what you saw? Did you set it aside by what you heard? Did you set it aside by suspicion?" If he should say thus: "I set it aside by what I saw, I set it aside by what I heard, I set it aside by suspicion," he should be told thus: "Friend, concerning the declaration of this bhikkhu that you set aside by what you saw, what did you see? How did you see it? When did you see it? Where did you see it? Was he seen committing a pārājika? Was he seen committing a saṅghādisesa? A thullaccaya… a pācittiya… a pāṭidesanīya… a dukkaṭa… a dubbhāsita was he seen committing? And where were you? And where was this bhikkhu? And what were you doing? And what was this bhikkhu doing?" If he should say thus: "Indeed, friend, I did not set aside the declaration of this bhikkhu by what I saw, but by what I heard..." I set aside the invitation.” He should be told thus: “Friend, that by which you set aside the invitation of this bhikkhu by hearsay, what did you hear? How did you hear? When did you hear? Where did you hear? Did you hear he incurred a pārājika? Did you hear he incurred a saṅghādisesa? A thullaccaya? A pācittiya? A pāṭidesanīya? A dukkaṭa? A dubbhāsita? Did you hear it from a bhikkhu? From a bhikkhunī? From a sikkhamānā?