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12. The Chapter of the Seven Hundred 1. The First Recitation Section 446. At that time, one hundred years after the Blessed One's Parinibbāna, the Vajjian monks of Vesālī declared ten points in Vesālī: The salt-in-horn-vessel allowance is permissible. The two-finger allowance is permissible. The village-to-village allowance is permissible. The residence allowance is permissible. The consent allowance is permissible. The customary allowance is permissible. The unchurned milk allowance is permissible. To drink palm-sap is permissible. A seat without a fringe is permissible. Gold and silver are permissible. At that time, the venerable Yasa, son of Kākaṇḍaka, wandering in the Vajjī country, arrived at Vesālī. There, the venerable Yasa, son of Kākaṇḍaka, dwelt in Vesālī, in the Kūṭāgārasālā in the Great Wood. At that time, the Vajjian monks of Vesālī, on that Uposatha day, filled a bronze bowl with water, placed it in the middle of the Saṅgha of monks, and said to the Vesālī lay followers who came: "Give, sirs, to the Saṅgha a kahāpaṇa, or half, or a quarter, or a māsaka. There will be something to be done with requisites for the Saṅgha." When this was said, the venerable Yasa, son of Kākaṇḍaka, said to the Vesālī lay followers: "Do not give, sirs, to the Saṅgha a kahāpaṇa, or half, or a quarter, or a māsaka. Gold and silver are not permissible for Sakyan recluses; Sakyan recluses do not accept gold and silver; Sakyan recluses do not receive gold and silver; Sakyan recluses have renounced jewels and gold, they are free from gold and silver." Even though the Vesālī lay followers were thus spoken to by the venerable Yasa, son of Kākaṇḍaka, they still gave to the Saṅgha a kahāpaṇa, or half, or a quarter, or a māsaka. Then, the Vajjian monks of Vesālī, after that night, divided that money by the share of the monks. Then, the Vajjian monks of Vesālī Some monks said to Venerable Yasa, son of Kākaṇḍaka: "This, friend Yasa, is your share of gold." "I have no share of gold, friends, I do not accept gold." Then the Vajjian monks of Vesālī said: "This friend Yasa, son of Kākaṇḍaka, abuses and reviles the faithful, confident lay followers, and causes them to lose faith. Come, let us perform an act of reconciliation upon him." They performed an act of reconciliation upon him. Then Venerable Yasa, son of Kākaṇṇḍaka, said to the Vajjian monks of Vesālī: "Friends, the Blessed One has laid down: 'A monk upon whom an act of reconciliation has been performed should be given an attendant messenger.' Give me, friends, an attendant messenger monk." Then the Vajjian monks of Vesālī appointed a monk and gave him as an attendant messenger to Venerable Yasa, son of Kākaṇḍaka. Then Venerable Yasa, son of Kākaṇḍaka, entered Vesālī with the attendant messenger monk and said to the lay followers of Vesālī: "It is said that I abuse and revile the faithful, confident lay followers, and cause them to lose faith; I who declare what is not Dhamma as not Dhamma, what is Dhamma as Dhamma, what is not Vinaya as not Vinaya, what is Vinaya as Vinaya. 447. "On one occasion, friends, the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. There, friends, the Blessed One addressed the monks: 'Monks, there are these four defilements of the moon and sun, by which defilements defiled, the moon and sun do not shine, do not glow, do not radiate. Which four? Clouds, monks, are a defilement of the moon and sun, by which defilement defiled, the moon and sun do not shine, do not glow, do not radiate. Fog, monks, is a defilement of the moon and sun, by which defilement defiled, the moon and sun do not shine, do not glow, do not radiate, smoke and dust..." Monks, there is an impurity of the moon and sun, by which impurity, defiled, the moon and sun do not shine, do not glow, do not radiate. Rāhu, monks, the Asura-king, is an impurity of the moon and sun, by which impurity, defiled, the moon and sun do not shine, do not glow, do not radiate. These, monks, are the four impurities of the moon and sun, by which impurities, defiled, the moon and sun do not shine, do not glow, do not radiate. Just so, monks, these are the four impurities of recluses and brahmins, by which impurities, defiled, some recluses and brahmins do not shine, do not glow, do not radiate. Which four? There are, monks, some recluses and brahmins who drink liquor, who drink intoxicants, not abstaining from drinking liquor and intoxicants – this, monks, is the first impurity of recluses and brahmins, by which impurity, defiled, some recluses and brahmins do not shine, do not glow, do not radiate. Furthermore, monks, some recluses and brahmins engage in sexual intercourse, not abstaining from sexual intercourse – this, monks, is the second impurity of recluses and brahmins, by which impurity, defiled, some recluses and brahmins do not shine, do not glow, do not radiate. Furthermore, monks, some recluses and brahmins accept gold and silver, not abstaining from accepting gold and silver – this, monks, is the third impurity of recluses and brahmins, by which impurity, defiled, some recluses and brahmins do not shine, do not glow, do not radiate. Furthermore, monks, some recluses and brahmins maintain their lives by wrong livelihood; not abstaining from wrong livelihood – this, monks, is the fourth impurity of recluses and brahmins, by which impurity, defiled, some recluses and brahmins do not shine, do not glow, do not radiate. These, monks, are the four recluses Impurities of non-brahmins, by which impurities defiled some recluses and brahmins do not glow, do not shine, do not radiate." "This, friends, the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this – "Defiled by lust and hatred, some recluses and brahmins; Persons enveloped in ignorance, delighting in pleasant forms. "They drink liquor, strong drink, they engage in sexual intercourse; Silver and gold, they accept, the ignorant ones. "They live by wrong livelihood, some recluses and brahmins; These impurities are declared, by the Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun. "By which impurities defiled, some recluses and brahmins; Do not glow, do not shine, impure, dusty, like beasts. "Covered by darkness, slaves of craving, with leaders; They increase the dreadful cemetery, they grasp at rebirth. "Indeed, I, speaking thus, abuse, revile, and cause to lose faith the venerable, faithful, confident lay followers; I who declare the non-Dhamma as non-Dhamma, the Dhamma as Dhamma, the non-discipline as non-discipline, the discipline as discipline. "On one occasion, friends, the Blessed One was staying at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground. Now at that time, in the royal inner palace, among the royal assembly, as they were seated and gathered, this conversation arose – 'It is allowable for the Sakyan recluses to accept gold and silver; the Sakyan recluses accept gold and silver; the Sakyan recluses receive gold and silver.' Now at that time, friends, Maṇicūḷaka the headman was seated in that assembly. Then, friends, Maṇicūḷaka the headman said to that assembly – 'Do not speak thus, sirs. It is not allowable for the Sakyan recluses to accept gold and silver; the Sakyan recluses do not accept gold and silver; the Sakyan recluses do not receive gold and silver; they have renounced jewels and gold, the recluses..." The Sakyan ascetics are rid of gold and silver. Indeed, friend, Manicūḷaka the headman was able to convince that assembly. Then, friend, Manicūḷaka the headman, having convinced that assembly, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, and saluted the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, friend, Manicūḷaka the headman said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, in the royal inner court, in the royal assembly, while we were gathered and seated, this discussion arose: 'It is allowable for the Sakyan ascetics to have gold and silver; the Sakyan ascetics accept gold and silver; the Sakyan ascetics receive gold and silver.'" "When this was said, venerable sir, I said to that assembly: 'Sirs, do not speak thus. It is not allowable for the Sakyan ascetics to have gold and silver; the Sakyan ascetics do not accept gold and silver; the Sakyan ascetics do not receive gold and silver; the Sakyan ascetics have laid aside jewels and gold, they are rid of gold and silver.'" "Indeed, venerable sir, I was able to convince that assembly. Venerable sir, in speaking thus, am I repeating what the Blessed One has said, and not misrepresenting the Blessed One with what is untrue, and explaining the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, and will no co-religionist who follows the Dhamma find any grounds for reproach?" "Indeed, headman, in speaking thus, you are repeating what I have said; and you are not misrepresenting me with what is untrue, and you are explaining the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, and no co-religionist who follows the Dhamma will find any grounds for reproach. Indeed, headman, it is not allowable for the Sakyan ascetics to have gold and silver; the Sakyan ascetics do not accept gold and silver; the Sakyan ascetics do not receive gold and silver; the Sakyan ascetics have laid aside jewels and gold, they are rid of gold and silver. Indeed, headman, for whom gold and silver is allowable, p..." And also, sense pleasures are suitable for him. For whom the five sense pleasures are suitable, this, headman, you should hold with certainty: 'This is not the practice of a recluse, not the practice of a Sakyan son.' And also, headman, I say this: Grass should be sought by one needing grass; wood should be sought by one needing wood; a cart should be sought by one needing a cart; a person should be sought by one needing a person. But I, headman, do not say that gold and silver should be accepted or sought by any means whatsoever. "Indeed, by speaking thus, I revile, abuse, and displease