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11. The Chapter of Five Hundred 1. The Account of the Council 437. Then the venerable Mahākassapa addressed the bhikkhus: “Once, friends, I was on the road from Pāvā to Kusinārā, together with a great Sangha of bhikkhus, five hundred bhikkhus. Then, friends, I turned off the road and sat down at the root of a certain tree. [Dī. Ni. 2.231] “Now at that time, a certain Ājīvaka, having taken a mandārava flower from Kusinārā, was on the road to Pāvā. I saw, friends, that Ājīvaka coming from afar. Having seen that Ājīvaka, I said to him: ‘Do you know our Teacher, friend?’ ‘Yes, friend, I know him. Today, seven days ago, the ascetic Gotama attained final Nibbāna. That is why I have taken this mandārava flower.’ There, friends, those bhikkhus who were not free from passion, some raised their arms and wept, some fell down as if cut off, they rolled about, they writhed about: ‘Too soon has the Blessed One attained final Nibbāna! Too soon has the Sugata attained final Nibbāna! Too soon has the Eye in the world disappeared!’ But those bhikkhus who were free from passion, they, mindful and comprehending, endured: ‘Impermanent are all formations; how could it be otherwise here?’ “Then, friends, I said to those bhikkhus: ‘Enough, friends, do not grieve; do not lament. Has it not, friends, been declared in advance by the Blessed One: “Separation, disunion, alteration from all that is dear and pleasing”? How could it be, friends, that what is born, become, conditioned, subject to decay, should not decay? That is not possible.’ “Now at that time, friends, a certain Subhadda, an old renunciant, was sitting in that assembly. Then, friends, Subhadda, the old renunciant, said to those bhikkhus: ‘Enough, friends, do not grieve; do not lament. We are well rid of that great ascetic! We were troubled by him: “This is allowable for you, this is not allowable for you.” Now we shall do what we wish, and what we do not wish, we shall not do. Come, friends, let us recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya. Lest un-Dhamma shine forth, and Dhamma be pushed back; Lest un-Vinaya shine forth, and Vinaya be pushed back; Lest those who speak un-Dhamma become strong, and those who speak Dhamma become weak; Lest those who speak un-Vinaya become strong, and those who speak Vinaya become weak. "Then, venerable sir, let the elder select the bhikkhus." Then the venerable Mahākassapa selected five hundred Arahants, less one. The bhikkhus said to the venerable Mahākassapa: "Venerable sir, this venerable Ānanda, though still a learner, is incapable of going astray through desire, hatred, delusion, or fear. And much Dhamma and Vinaya has been learned by him in the presence of the Blessed One. Therefore, venerable sir, let the elder select the venerable Ānanda as well." Then the venerable Mahākassapa selected the venerable Ānanda as well. Then it occurred to the elder bhikkhus: "Where now should we recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya?" Then it occurred to the elder bhikkhus: "Rājagaha is a great resort, with abundant lodgings. Let us, while residing in Rājagaha during the rainy season, recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya. No other bhikkhus should enter Rājagaha for the rainy season." Then the venerable Mahākassapa informed the Saṅgha: "Listen to me, friends, Saṅgha. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha should authorize these five hundred bhikkhus – to reside in Rājagaha for the rainy season and recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya. No other bhikkhus should reside in Rājagaha for the rainy season. This is the motion. "Listen to me, friends, Saṅgha. The Saṅgha authorizes these five hundred bhikkhus – to reside in Rājagaha for the rainy season and recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya. No other bhikkhus should reside in Rājagaha for the rainy season. To whichever venerable one this is agreeable, of these five hundred bhi... The resolution of the five hundred: For the five hundred bhikkhus residing in Rājagaha to recite the Dhamma and Vinaya, and for no other bhikkhus to reside in Rājagaha. He who is silent, he approves; he who does not approve, he should speak. "These five hundred bhikkhus have been authorized by the Sangha to reside in Rājagaha and recite the Dhamma and Vinaya, and no other bhikkhus are to reside in Rājagaha. The Sangha approves, therefore it is silent, thus do we hold this." Then the elder bhikkhus went to Rājagaha to recite the Dhamma and Vinaya. Then it occurred to the elder bhikkhus: "Friends, the Blessed One has praised the repair of broken things. Come, friends, for the first month let us repair the broken things; for the middle month, having assembled, we shall recite the Dhamma and Vinaya." Then the elder bhikkhus repaired the broken things for the first month. Then the venerable Ānanda thought: "Tomorrow is the assembly. It is not proper for me, who is still a trainee, to go to the assembly." Having spent much of the night with mindfulness of the body, at dawn, at the break of day, he inclined his body, thinking, "I will lie down." Before his head reached the pillow, and his feet were lifted from the ground, in that interval, his mind was liberated from the defilements, without clinging. Then the venerable Ānanda, being an Arahant, went to the assembly. Then the venerable Mahākassapa informed the Sangha: "May the Sangha, friends, hear me. If it is suitable for the Sangha, I would question Upāli about the Vinaya." The venerable Upāli informed the Sangha: "May the Sangha, venerable sirs, hear me. If it is suitable for the Sangha, I, being questioned by the venerable Mahākassapa about the Vinaya, would answer." Then the venerable Mahākassapa said to the venerable Upāli: "First, friend Upāli, where was the Pārājika rule laid down?" "In Vesālī, venerable sir." "Concerning whom did it arise?" "concerning whom?" "Concerning Sudinna, son of Kalandaka." "In what matter?" "In the matter of sexual intercourse." Then indeed, the venerable Mahākassapa asked the venerable Upāli concerning the first pārājika: he asked about the case, he asked about the origin, he asked about the person, he asked about the promulgation, he asked about the supplementary promulgation, he asked about the offense, he asked about the non-offense. "And the second pārājika, friend Upāli, where was it promulgated?" "In Rājagaha, venerable sir." "Concerning whom?" "Concerning Dhaniya, the potter's son." "In what matter?" "In the matter of taking what is not given." Then indeed, the venerable Mahākassapa asked the venerable Upāli concerning the second pārājika: he asked about the case, he asked about the origin, he asked about the person, he asked about the promulgation, he asked about the supplementary promulgation, he asked about the offense, he asked about the non-offense. "And the third pārājika, friend Upāli, where was it promulgated?" "In Vesālī, venerable sir." "Concerning whom?" "Concerning many bhikkhus." "In what matter?" "In the matter of killing a human being." Then indeed, the venerable Mahākassapa asked the venerable Upāli concerning the third pārājika: he asked about the case, he asked about the origin, he asked about the person, he asked about the promulgation, he asked about the supplementary promulgation, he asked about the offense, he asked about the non-offense. "And the fourth pārājika, friend Upāli, where was it promulgated?" "In Vesālī, venerable sir." "Concerning whom?" "Concerning the bhikkhus on the Vaggumudā riverbank." "In what matter?" "In the matter of superhuman attainments." Then indeed, the venerable Mahākassapa asked the venerable Upāli concerning the fourth pārājika: he asked about the case, he asked about the origin, he asked about the person, he asked about the promulgation, he asked about the supplementary promulgation, he asked about the offense, he asked about the non-offense. In this very manner he asked about both Vibhaṅgas. As he was asked, the venerable Upāli answered. Then indeed, the venerable Mahākassapa informed the Saṅgha. "May the Sangha hear me, friends. If it is suitable for the Sangha, I would question Ananda about the Dhamma." The Venerable Ananda informed the Sangha: "May the Sangha hear me, sirs. If it is suitable for the Sangha, I, being questioned by the Venerable Mahakassapa about the Dhamma, would answer." Then the Venerable Mahakassapa said to the Venerable Ananda: "The Brahmajāla, friend Ananda, where was it spoken?" "Between Rajagaha, sir, and Nalanda, at the royal rest house in Ambalaṭṭhikā." "Concerning whom?" "Concerning Suppiya the wanderer and Brahmadatta the young man." Then the Venerable Mahakassapa questioned the Venerable Ananda about the occasion of the Brahmajāla and also about the individuals involved. "And the Sāmaññaphala, friend Ananda, where was it spoken?" "In Rajagaha, sir, in Jīvaka's Mango Grove." "With whom?" "With Ajātasattu, son of Videhī." Then the Venerable Mahakassapa questioned the Venerable Ananda about the occasion of the Sāmaññaphala and also about the individual involved. In this same manner, he questioned him about all five Nikāyas. Being questioned, the Venerable Ananda answered each time. 2. Discourse on Minor and Lesser Training Rules 441. Then the Venerable Ananda said to the elder bhikkhus: "The Blessed One, sirs, at the time of his final passing, told me this: 'If it wishes, Ananda, the Sangha may, after my passing, abolish the minor and lesser training rules.'" "But did you, friend Ananda, question the Blessed One: 'Which, sir, are the minor and lesser training rules?'" "Indeed, sir, I did not question the Blessed One: 'Which, sir, are the minor and lesser training rules?'" Some elders said this: "Excluding the four pārājikas, the remaining are the minor and lesser training rules." Some elders said this: "Excluding the four pārājikas, excluding the thirteen saṅghādisesas, the remaining are the minor and lesser..." minor and lesser training rules." Some elders said thus: "Excluding the four pārājikas, excluding the thirteen saṅghādisesas,