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at Migāra's Mother's Palace. Now at that time the Blessed One was sitting, surrounded by the Sangha of bhikkhus, on the Uposatha day. Then the Venerable Ānanda, when the night was far advanced, when the first watch was over, rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and raising his joined hands towards the Blessed One, said to him: "The night, venerable sir, is far advanced; the first watch is over; the Sangha of bhikkhus has been sitting for a long time; let the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha for the bhikkhus." When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent. A second time the Venerable Ānanda, when the night was far advanced, when the middle watch was over, rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and raising his joined hands towards the Blessed One, said to him: "The night, venerable sir, is far advanced; the middle watch is over; the Sangha of bhikkhus has been sitting for a long time; let the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha for the bhikkhus." A second time the Blessed One remained silent. A third time the Venerable Ānanda, when the night was far advanced, when the last watch was over, when the dawn had broken, when the night was smiling, rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and raising his joined hands towards the Blessed One, said to him: "The night, venerable sir, is far advanced; the last watch is over; the dawn has broken; the night is smiling; the Sangha of bhikkhus has been sitting for a long time; let the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha for the bhikkhus." "The assembly, Ānanda, is not pure." Then it occurred to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: "Whom, I wonder, does the Blessed One have in mind when he says: 'The assembly, Ānanda, is not pure'?" Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, surveying the entire... He encompassed the community of bhikkhus with his mind, perceiving their minds. Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna saw that person, immoral, of evil nature, impure, of doubtful conduct, with hidden deeds, no ascetic, claiming to be an ascetic, no celibate, claiming to be a celibate, inwardly rotten, leaky, a mass of corruption, sitting in the midst of the community of bhikkhus. Having seen him, he rose from his seat, approached that person, and said to that person: "Get up, friend! You have been seen by the Blessed One. There is no dwelling with the bhikkhus for you." When this was said, that person remained silent. A second time, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said to that person: "Get up, friend! You have been seen by the Blessed One. There is no dwelling with the bhikkhus for you." A second time... A third time, that person remained silent. Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna took that person by the arm, led him out beyond the door-post, closed the bolt, and approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he said to the Blessed One: "That person, venerable sir, has been expelled by me. The assembly is purified. Let the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha to the bhikkhus." "It is wonderful, Moggallāna! It is amazing, Moggallāna! That such a deluded man would wait even until he was taken by the arm!" Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "From now on, bhikkhus, I shall not perform the Uposatha, nor recite the Pātimokkha. You yourselves, bhikkhus, from now on, should perform the Uposatha, and recite the Pātimokkha. It is impossible, bhikkhus, it is not feasible, for a Tathāgata to perform the Uposatha or recite the Pātimokkha in an impure assembly. "These eight, bhikkhus, are wonderful, amazing qualities in the great ocean, which the asuras, seeing again and again, delight in the great ocean. delight. What are these eight? "The great ocean, monks, slopes gradually, inclines gradually, descends gradually, not plunging abruptly. That the great ocean, monks, slopes gradually, inclines gradually, descends gradually, not plunging abruptly; this, monks, is the first wonderful and amazing quality in the great ocean, which, seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. "Furthermore, monks, the great ocean remains within its bounds, it does not overflow its shore. That the great ocean, monks, remains within its bounds, it does not overflow its shore; this, monks, is the second wonderful and amazing quality in the great ocean, which, seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. "Furthermore, monks, the great ocean does not keep company with a dead corpse. Whatever dead corpse is in the great ocean, it quickly washes it ashore, it casts it onto the land. That the great ocean, monks, does not keep company with a dead corpse, whatever dead corpse is in the great ocean, it quickly washes it ashore, it casts it onto the land; this, monks, is the third wonderful and amazing quality in the great ocean, which, seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. "Furthermore, monks, whatever great rivers there are, namely— the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhu, the Mahi— when they reach the great ocean, they give up their former names and lineages; they come to be reckoned simply as 'the great ocean.' That whatever great rivers there are, namely— the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhu, the Mahi— when they reach the great ocean, they give up their former names and lineages, they come to be reckoned simply as 'the great ocean'; this, monks, is the fourth wonderful and amazing quality in the great ocean, which, seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. "Furthermore, monks, whatever streams in the world, great And the rivers flow into the great ocean, and the streams that fall from the sky, by that, no decrease or increase of the great ocean is perceived. And this, monks, that the rivers in the world flow into the great ocean, and the streams that fall from the sky, by that, no decrease or increase of the great ocean is perceived; this, monks, is the fifth wonderful and amazing quality in the great ocean, which seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. Furthermore, monks, the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt. And this, monks, that the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt; this, monks, is the sixth wonderful and amazing quality in the great ocean, which seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. Furthermore, monks, the great ocean is rich in many jewels, in countless jewels. Therein are these jewels, namely: pearls, gems, lapis lazuli, conch, rock, coral, silver, gold, ruby, cat's eye. And this, monks, that the great ocean is rich in many jewels, in countless jewels, therein are these jewels, namely: pearls, gems, lapis lazuli, conch, rock, coral, silver, gold, ruby, cat's eye; this, monks, is the seventh wonderful and amazing quality in the great ocean, which seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. Furthermore, monks, the great ocean is the abode of mighty beings. Therein are these beings: the timi, the timingala, the timingala-timingala, asuras, nāgas, gandhabbas. There are in the great ocean beings a hundred leagues long, beings two hundred leagues long, beings three hundred leagues long, beings four hundred leagues long, beings five hundred leagues long. And this, monks, that the great ocean is the abode of mighty beings, therein are these beings: the timi, the timingala, the timingala-timingala, asuras, nāgas, gandhabbas, there are in the great ocean beings a hundred leagues long, two hundred... beings a hundred leagues in size... ...beings five hundred leagues in size; This, monks, is the eighth wonderful and amazing quality in the great ocean, which seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. These, monks, are the eight wonderful and amazing qualities in the great ocean, which seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. Just so, monks, in this Dhamma and Discipline, there are eight wonderful and amazing qualities, which seeing again and again, the bhikkhus delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Which are these eight? Just as, monks, the great ocean slopes gradually, inclines gradually, descends gradually, and does not drop off suddenly; just so, monks, in this Dhamma and Discipline, there is gradual training, gradual practice, gradual progress, and no sudden penetration of knowledge. That in this Dhamma and Discipline, there is gradual training, gradual practice, gradual progress, and no sudden penetration of knowledge; this, monks, is the first wonderful and amazing quality in this Dhamma and Discipline, which seeing again and again, the bhikkhus delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Just as, monks, the great ocean remains within its bounds, and does not overflow its shore; just so, monks, whatever training rule I have laid down for my disciples, my disciples do not transgress it, even for the sake of life. That whatever training rule I have laid down for my disciples, my disciples do not transgress it, even for the sake of life; this, monks, is the second wonderful and amazing quality in this Dhamma and Discipline, which seeing again and again, the bhikkhus delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Just as, monks, the great ocean does not tolerate a dead corpse; whatever dead corpse is in the great ocean, it quickly washes it ashore, and casts it onto the land; just so, monks, that person who is immoral, of evil nature, impure, of doubtful conduct, with hidden deeds, not a recluse, though claiming to be a recluse, not a celibate, though claiming to be a celibate... claiming to be pure in conduct, but inwardly corrupt, leaking, foul like a cesspool, the Saṅgha does not live with him; but quickly gathering, they expel him. Even if he is seated in the midst of the Saṅgha of bhikkhus, yet he is far from the Saṅgha, and the Saṅgha from him. And furthermore, bhikkhus, that person who is immoral, of evil nature, impure, of doubtful conduct, with hidden deeds,