English
the venerable lay followers who are faithful and confident; I who call what is not Dhamma, not Dhamma; what is Dhamma, Dhamma; what is not discipline, not discipline; what is discipline, discipline." 449. "On one occasion, friends, the Blessed One, in Rājagaha, concerning the venerable Upananda the Sakyan son, prohibited gold and silver, and laid down a training rule. Indeed, by speaking thus, I revile, abuse, and displease the venerable lay followers who are faithful and confident; I who call what is not Dhamma, not Dhamma; what is Dhamma, Dhamma; what is not discipline, not discipline; what is discipline, discipline." When this was said, the lay followers of Vesālī said to the venerable Yasa Kākaṇḍakaputta: "Only the venerable Yasa Kākaṇḍakaputta, sir, is a recluse, a son of the Sakyans. All these others are not recluses, not sons of the Sakyans. Let the venerable Yasa Kākaṇḍakaputta, sir, reside in Vesālī. We will take care of the venerable Yasa Kākaṇḍakaputta's robes, almsfood, lodging, and requisites for the sick, including medicine." Then the venerable Yasa Kākaṇḍakaputta, having appeased the lay followers of Vesālī, went to the monastery with a messenger monk. Then the Vajji-clan monks of Vesālī asked the messenger monk: "Friend, have the lay followers of Vesālī been appeased by Yasa Kākaṇḍakaputta?" "Friends, the lay followers have done us ill. Only Yasa Kākaṇḍa..." Kākaṇḍakaputta has been made a Sakyan ascetic. All of us have been made non-ascetics, non-Sakyan sons. Then the Vajji-sons of Vesālī, the bhikkhus, said: “Friends, this Yasa Kākaṇḍakaputta, unapproved by us, has declared to the laypeople; come, let us perform an act of suspension against him.” Wishing to perform an act of suspension against him, they assembled. Then Venerable Yasa Kākaṇḍakaputta, soaring into the air, reappeared in Kosambī. 450. Then Venerable Yasa Kākaṇḍakaputta sent a messenger to the bhikkhus of Pāveyya and Avanti-Dakkhiṇāpatha: “Let the venerable ones come; we shall take up this dispute. Before long, the non-Dhamma will shine, the Dhamma will be pushed back; the non-Vinaya will shine, the Vinaya will be pushed back; before long, the proponents of non-Dhamma will be strong, the proponents of Dhamma will be weak; the proponents of non-Vinaya will be strong, the proponents of Vinaya will be weak.” Now at that time, Venerable Sambhūta Sāṇavāsī was dwelling on the Ahogaṅga mountain. Then Venerable Yasa Kākaṇḍakaputta approached the Ahogaṅga mountain, where Venerable Sambhūta Sāṇavāsī was. Having approached, and having greeted Venerable Sambhūta Sāṇavāsī, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Venerable Yasa Kākaṇḍakaputta said to Venerable Sambhūta Sāṇavāsī: “These, venerable sir, Vajji-sons of Vesālī, the bhikkhus, proclaim ten points in Vesālī: It is allowable to keep salt in a horn; it is allowable to eat two fingers' breadth beyond midday; it is allowable to go to another village and eat; it is allowable to observe the Uposatha in different residences; it is allowable to perform an act with prior consent; it is allowable to follow a customary practice; it is allowable to drink unchurned milk; it is allowable to drink palm wine; it is allowable to use a borderless mat; it is allowable to accept gold and silver. Come, venerable sir, let us take up this dispute. Before long, the non-Dhamma will shine, the Dhamma will be pushed back; the non-Vinaya will shine, the Vinaya will be pushed back; before long, the proponents of non-Dhamma will be strong… the speakers of Dhamma are weak; the speakers of non-discipline are strong, the speakers of discipline are weak.” “So it is, friend,” the venerable Sambhūta Sāṇavāsī replied to the venerable Yasa Kākandakaputta. Then sixty monks from Pāveyya – all forest dwellers, all alms-round goers, all rag-robe wearers, all triple-robed, all Arahants – assembled on Ahogaṅga mountain. Eighty-eight monks from Avantī and Dakkhiṇāpatha – some forest dwellers, some alms-round goers, some rag-robe wearers, some triple-robed, all Arahants – assembled on Ahogaṅga mountain. Then, as the elder monks were deliberating, this thought occurred to them: “This dispute is harsh and fierce; which side should we take, so that we may be stronger in this dispute?” 451. Now at that time, the venerable Revata was residing in Soreyya – learned, well-versed in the traditions, a master of Dhamma, a master of Vinaya, a master of the Mātikas, wise, skillful, intelligent, conscientious, scrupulous, desirous of training. Then this thought occurred to the elder monks: “This venerable Revata is residing in Soreyya – learned, well-versed in the traditions, a master of Dhamma, a master of Vinaya, a master of the Mātikas, wise, skillful, intelligent, conscientious, scrupulous, desirous of training. If we take the venerable Revata’s side, then we will be stronger in this dispute.” The venerable Revata heard – with the divine ear-element, purified, surpassing human – the elder monks deliberating. Having heard, this thought occurred to him: “This dispute is harsh and fierce. It is not fitting for me to get involved in such a dispute. And now those monks will come. Crowded by them, I will not be at ease. What if I were to go ahead of time?” Then the venerable Revata, from Soreyya, set out He went to Assa. Then indeed, the elder bhikkhus having gone to Soreyya, asked: "Where is Venerable Revata?" They said thus: "Venerable Revata has gone to Saṅkassa." Then indeed, Venerable Revata from Saṅkassa went to Kaṇṇakujja. Then indeed, the elder bhikkhus having gone to Saṅkassa, asked: "Where is Venerable Revata?" They said thus: "Venerable Revata has gone to Kaṇṇakujja." Then indeed, Venerable Revata from Kaṇṇakujja went to Udumbara. Then indeed, the elder bhikkhus having gone to Kaṇṇakujja, asked: "Where is Venerable Revata?" They said thus: "Venerable Revata has gone to Udumbara." Then indeed, Venerable Revata from Udumbara went to Aggaḷapura. Then indeed, the elder bhikkhus having gone to Udumbara, asked: "Where is Venerable Revata?" They said thus: "Venerable Revata has gone to Aggaḷapura." Then indeed, Venerable Revata from Aggaḷapura went to Sahajāti. Then indeed, the elder bhikkhus having gone to Aggaḷapura, asked: "Where is Venerable Revata?" They said thus: "Venerable Revata has gone to Sahajāti." Then indeed, the elder bhikkhus met Venerable Revata in Sahajāti. Then indeed, Venerable Sambhūta Sāṇavāsī said this to Venerable Yasa, son of Kākaṇḍaka: "Friend, this Venerable Revata is very learned, has mastered the tradition, is a holder of the Dhamma, a holder of the Vinaya, a holder of the Mātikā, wise, skilled, intelligent, conscientious, scrupulous, desirous of training. If we ask Venerable Revata a question, Venerable Revata is capable of spending even the whole night with just one question. But now, Venerable Revata will request a resident bhikkhu who recites the Dhamma. So you, at the end of that bhikkhu's recitation, having approached Venerable Revata, should ask these ten points." "Yes, venerable sir," Venerable Yasa, son of Kākaṇḍaka (said). Sambhūta Sāṇavāsī's disciple replied. Then the venerable Revata urged a bhikkhu, a reciter, his pupil. Then the venerable Yasa, Kākandaka's son, at the end of that bhikkhu's recitation, approached the venerable Revata. Having approached and saluted the venerable Revata, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Yasa, Kākandaka's son, said this to the venerable Revata: "Is the 'horn-salt allowance' permissible, venerable sir?" "What is that, friend, the 'horn-salt allowance'?" "Is it permissible, venerable sir, to carry salt in a horn, thinking, 'Where there is no salt, there I will consume it'?" "No, friend, it is not permissible." "Is the 'two-finger allowance' permissible, venerable sir?" "What is that, friend, the 'two-finger allowance'?" "Is it permissible, venerable sir, when the shadow has passed by two fingers, to eat food at an improper time?" "No, friend, it is not permissible." "Is the 'village-to-village allowance' permissible, venerable sir?" "What is that, friend, the 'village-to-village allowance'?" "Is it permissible, venerable sir, for one who has eaten and declined, to eat food that is not left over, thinking, 'Now I will go to another village'?" "No, friend, it is not permissible." "Is the 'residence allowance' permissible, venerable sir?" "What is that, friend, the 'residence allowance'?" "Is it permissible, venerable sir, for many residences with the same boundary to hold separate Uposatha ceremonies?" "No, friend, it is not permissible." "Is the 'permission allowance' permissible, venerable sir?" "What is that, friend, the 'permission allowance'?" "Is it permissible, venerable sir, for a group to perform an act, thinking, 'We will get permission from the bhikkhus when they arrive'?" "No, friend, it is not permissible." "Is the 'customary allowance' permissible, venerable sir?" "What is that, friend, the 'customary allowance'?" "Is it permissible, venerable sir, to practice what my preceptor has practiced, what my teacher has practiced?" "As for the 'customary allowance', friend, some are permissible, some are not permissible." "Is it permissible, venerable sir, Sir, is the "unchurned" allowed? "What is that, friend, the unchurned?" "Is it allowed, sir, that milk which has lost its milky state, but has not yet reached the state of curds, for one who has eaten and declared satisfaction, to drink it without it being a leftover?" "No, friend, it is not allowed." "Is it allowed, sir, to drink 'jaḷogī'?" "What is that, friend, 'jaḷogī'?" "Is it allowed, sir, that fermented liquor which has been brewed, but has not yet reached the state of intoxicant, to drink it?" "No, friend, it is not allowed." "Is it allowed, sir, a mat without a border?" "No, friend, it is not allowed." "Is it allowed, sir, gold and silver?" "No, friend, it is not allowed." "These Vesalian Vajjiputtaka monks, sir, in Vesali, declare these ten points.