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8. Section on Observances 1. Discourse on the Observances for Arriving Monks 356. At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling in Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Now at that time, the arriving monks entered the monastery even with sandals on, entered the monastery even holding umbrellas, entered the monastery even with their heads covered, entered the monastery even carrying their robes on their heads, washed their feet even with drinking water, did not greet the elder resident monks, nor did they ask about lodging. And a certain arriving monk, into an unoccupied dwelling, having unlatched the bolt, having pushed open the door, entered hastily. From above his back a snake fell onto his shoulder. He, frightened, made a loud cry. The monks, having run up, said to that monk: "Why, friend, did you make a loud cry?" Then that monk informed the monks of that matter. Those monks who were of few desires... they complained, grumbled, and criticized: "How can it be that arriving monks enter the monastery even with sandals on, enter the monastery even holding umbrellas, enter the monastery even with their heads covered, enter the monastery even carrying their robes on their heads, wash their feet even with drinking water, do not greet the elder resident monks, nor ask about lodging!" Then those monks informed the Blessed One of that matter... "Is it true, monks, that arriving monks enter the monastery even with sandals on, enter the monastery even holding umbrellas, enter the monastery even with their heads covered, enter the monastery even carrying their robes on their heads, wash their feet even with drinking water, do not greet the elder resident monks, nor ask about lodging?" "It is true, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them... "How can it be, monks, that arriving monks enter the monastery even with sandals on, enter the monastery even holding umbrellas, enter the monastery even with their heads covered... They will not enter, they will enter the monastery with the robe on their head, they will wash their feet with drinking water, they will not greet the elder resident bhikkhus, nor will they ask about lodging. This, bhikkhus, is not for the appeasement of the unappeased... ...having censured... ...having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the bhikkhus: 357. "Therefore, bhikkhus, I will lay down the duties for visiting bhikkhus, how visiting bhikkhus should properly conduct themselves. Bhikkhus, a visiting bhikkhu, thinking 'Now I will enter the monastery,' should take off his sandals, put them down low, shake them out, take them, put away his umbrella, uncover his head, put the robe from his head onto his shoulder, and enter the monastery carefully, without haste. Upon entering the monastery, he should observe: 'Where do the resident bhikkhus gather?' Where the resident bhikkhus gather – in the service hall, or in a pavilion, or at the foot of a tree – he should go there, put his bowl aside, put his robe aside, take a suitable seat and sit down. He should ask for drinking water, he should ask for washing water – 'Which is the drinking water, which is the washing water?' If he needs drinking water, he should take drinking water and drink. If he needs washing water, he should take washing water and wash his feet. While washing his feet, he should pour water with one hand, and wash his feet with the other hand. He should pour water with one hand, and not wash his feet with the same hand. He should ask for the sandal-wiping cloth and wipe his sandals. While wiping his sandals, he should first wipe with a dry cloth, then with a wet one. He should wash the sandal-wiping cloth, and put it aside. If the resident bhikkhu is elder, he should be greeted. If he is junior, he should be greeted. Well. The lodging should be asked about – 'Which lodging falls to me?' Whether occupied or unoccupied should be asked, the alms-resort should be asked about, the non-alms-resort should be asked about, the families approved for trainees should be asked about, the place for defecation should be asked about, the place for urination should be asked about, the drinking water should be asked about, the water for use should be asked about, the tooth-stick should be asked about, the Sangha's agreement should be asked about – 'At what time should one enter, at what time should one leave?' If the dwelling is unoccupied, having knocked on the door, having waited a moment, having unlatched the bolt, having opened the door, one should look in while standing outside. If the dwelling is dirty, or a bed is placed on a bed, or a stool is placed on a stool, or the lodging is piled up high, if one is able, it should be cleaned. When cleaning the dwelling, first the floor-mat should be taken out and placed aside; the bed-legs should be taken out and placed aside; the pillow and bolster should be taken out and placed aside; the sitting-mat should be taken out and placed aside; the bed, having been lowered, carefully, without striking, without scraping the door-frame, should be taken out and placed aside; the stool, having been lowered, carefully, without striking, without scraping the door-frame, should be taken out and placed aside; the spittoon should be taken out and placed aside; the back-rest board should be taken out and placed aside. If there is cobweb in the dwelling, first the ceiling should be swept down, the corners of the window-frames should be wiped. If a wall plastered with red ochre is dirty, a cloth should be moistened, squeezed, and wiped. If a black-colored floor is dirty, a cloth should be moistened, squeezed, and wiped. If the ground is not swept, it should be sprinkled with water and swept, lest the monastery be afflicted by dust. Having picked up the rubbish, it should be thrown to one side. The floor mat, having aired it, cleaned it, shaken it out, and brought it back, should be spread in its proper place. The bed-legs, having aired them, wiped them, and brought them back, should be put in their proper place. The bed, having aired it, cleaned it, shaken it out, lowered it, carefully, without striking, without knocking against the door frame, and brought it back, should be spread in its proper place. The stool, having aired it, cleaned it, shaken it out, lowered it, carefully, without striking, without knocking against the door frame, and brought it back, should be spread in its proper place. The cushion cover, having aired it, cleaned it, shaken it out, and brought it back, should be spread in its proper place. The sitting mat, having aired it, cleaned it, shaken it out, and brought it back, should be spread in its proper place. The spittoon, having aired it, wiped it, and brought it back, should be put in its proper place. The back-rest board, having aired it, wiped it, and brought it back, should be put in its proper place. The bowl and robes should be put away. By one putting away the bowl, having taken the bowl with one hand, and having touched the underside of the bed or the underside of the stool with the other hand, the bowl should be put away. And the bowl should not be put on the bare ground. By one putting away the robe, having taken the robe with one hand, and having wiped the robe-pole or the robe-rope with the other hand, having made the far end the inner fold, the robe should be put away. If dusty winds blow from the east, the eastern windows should be closed. If dusty winds blow from the west, the western windows should be closed. If dusty winds blow from the north, the northern windows should be closed. If dusty winds blow from the south, the southern windows should be closed. If it is winter, the windows should be opened during the day, and closed at night. If it is summer, the windows should be closed during the day, and opened at night. If the cloister is dirty, the cloister should be swept. If the storeroom is dirty, the storeroom should be swept. If the service hall is dirty, the service hall should be swept. If the fire hall is dirty, the fire hall should be swept. If the latrine is dirty, the latrine should be swept. If there is no drinking water, drinking water should be provided. If there is no water for washing, water for washing should be provided. If there is no water in the rinsing jar, water should be poured into the rinsing jar. This, monks, is the duty of visiting monks, how visiting monks should behave properly. 2. Account of the Duties of Resident Monks 358. At that time, the resident monks, seeing visiting monks, neither prepared a seat, nor set out water for the feet, a footstool, or a foot-mat, nor went forth to receive their bowl and robe, nor asked about drinking water, nor greeted even the elder visiting monks, nor prepared a lodging. Those monks who were of few desires… complained, murmured, and criticized, “How can resident monks, seeing visiting monks, neither prepare a seat, nor set out water for the feet, a footstool, or a foot-mat, nor go forth to receive their bowl and robe, nor ask about drinking water, nor greet even the elder visiting monks, nor prepare a lodging?” Then those monks reported this matter to the Blessed One… “Is it true, monks…?” “It is true, Blessed One…” having rebuked… and so on… having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the bhikkhus: 359. ‘‘Therefore, bhikkhus, I will lay down the duties for resident bhikkhus, how resident bhikkhus should properly conduct themselves. A resident bhikkhu, bhikkhus, seeing an arriving bhikkhu who is senior, should prepare a seat, should set out foot-water, a foot-stool, and a foot-towel, should go forth to meet him and receive his bowl and robe, should ask him about drinking water, [should ask him about drinking water, should ask him about food]. If he is able, he should wipe his sandals. One wiping sandals should first wipe with a dry cloth, then with a wet one. The sandal-wiping cloth should be washed [washed and squeezed] and put aside. ‘‘The arriving bhikkhu,