English
Water which is not flowing, standing in pits, ponds, tanks, natural lakes, salt seas, and so forth— starting from that, at least, even if filled by bringing water with pots into a pit dug in the ground at that very moment, remaining still until the end of the formal declaration, is suitable as a mark; other water, whether flowing, or not remaining for the specified period, or in a vessel, is not suitable. Those who are suitable by way of the assembly's completeness are those bhikkhus who, having assembled with four bhikkhus as the absolute minimum, are as many as are in that village territory, or in a demarcated boundary, or in a river, sea, or natural lake, and are not transgressing (the boundary), all of whom are considered (suitable) either by being within arm's reach or by bringing their consent. Those who are suitable by way of the completeness of the formal declaration are considered (suitable) by the pure formal declaration with a motion, as stated in the manner beginning with: "May the Sangha, venerable sirs, hear me. As far as the boundary marks have been proclaimed all around..." (Mahavagga 139). Thus, having avoided the eleven faulty boundaries, endowed with the three kinds of completeness, connecting mark with mark, the approved boundary is "b...". should be known as an unbound boundary. A broken boundary, a boundary of common residence, a boundary of non-separation— these are its subdivisions. An unbound boundary, however, is of three kinds: a village boundary, a seven-cubit boundary, a water-tossing boundary. Among these, as far as one village field extends, this is called a village boundary. In a village-less forest, seven cubits all around, is called a seven-cubit boundary. Here, a village-less forest is found in places like the Vindhya forest or on islands in the middle of the ocean where fishermen do not go. "Seven cubits all around" means for those standing in the middle, seven cubits in all directions, making fourteen in total when measured through. Here, one cubit is twenty-eight cubits in length. And this boundary expands according to the assembly. Therefore, the cubit measurement should be made starting from the edge of the assembly. If, however, two Sanghas perform the Uposatha separately, another seven-cubit area should be placed between the two seven-cubit areas for the purpose of the precinct. And that which, by the method of "all rivers, monks, are unbound" (Mahāvagga 147) and so on, rejects the boundary status of rivers and so forth, and then states, "Monks, in a river, or in the ocean, or in a natural lake, that which is the range of water-tossing all around for a medium-sized man, that is a common residence, a single Uposatha there"— this is called a water-tossing boundary. Here, a river whose current ceases when the clouds have dispersed, after the devas have rained without fail every half-month, every ten days, every five days in the time of righteous kings, does not count as a river. But a river whose current does not cease during the four months of the rainy season in such a well-watered time, where, whether at a ford or not, when a bhikkhunī, having covered the three circles with the mark of one who has come to do the training, lifts up her inner robe and crosses, even one or two finger-breadths of her inner robe get wet— whether this enters the ocean or a pond, from its source onwards, it is called a river. The ocean is well-known. And that which by some A naturally arisen pool, not dug, stands filled with water that has come from all sides, where water stands in a river during the rainy season as described; this is called a 'jātassara'. And also a pool dug by water that has burst forth from a river or sea, if it attains this characteristic, this too is a 'jātassara'. What is called 'udakukkhepa' (water-throw) all around a middle-sized man, that place which is delimited by a water-throw all around a strong middle-sized man: there, just as dice-players throw a wooden ball, so, taking water or sand with the hand, it should be thrown by a middle-sized man with all his strength. There, where such thrown water or sand falls, this is called an 'udakukkhepa'. This, there, is 'common residence, one Uposatha'. This boundary, delimited by a water-throw in those rivers and so forth, is both 'common residence' and 'one Uposatha'. But this is taken only within these rivers and so forth, not outside. Therefore, in a river or a jātassara, as much area as water covers during the normal rainy season for four months; in the sea, in which area the normal waves cover and stand: from there onwards is 'kappiyabhūmi' (suitable ground). Standing there, it is permissible to perform Uposatha and other acts. Even when rivers and jātassaras are dry during a drought or in summer, that same ground is 'kappiyabhūmi'. But if they dig a well or make a field in a dry jātassara, that place becomes a village field. And this 'kappiyabhūmi' that has been spoken of, the water-throw boundary does not go outside it, it goes only within. Therefore, within them, starting from the boundary of the assembly, a water-throw delimitation should be made all around. But if two Sanghas perform Uposatha and other acts separately, another single water-throw should be placed between the two water-throws for the purpose of 'upacāra' (proximity). For this 'sattabbhantara' (seven cubits) boundary and the water-throw boundary are taken starting from the place where the bhikkhus stand. The inner delimitation. Even if standing having abandoned the arm's reach, even if standing without exceeding another such boundary outside the boundary, the act is spoiled. This is the conclusion in all commentaries (Mahāva. Aṭṭha. 147). Thus, an unbound boundary should be understood. Thus, referring to these two kinds of boundaries, bound and unbound, it is said: "And indeed, they stand within one boundary, not having abandoned the arm's reach." Indeed, when those four bhikkhus are standing within one boundary, not having abandoned the arm's reach, then this Uposatha act of the Saṅgha is called fit; not otherwise. As it is said: "I allow, bhikkhus, to recite the Pātimokkha for four." (Mahāva. 168). And where it is said "there are no similar offenses," here, when the entire Saṅgha incurs a light offense due to a similar matter like eating at the wrong time, such a similarity in matter is called "similar." But an offense incurred due to eating at the wrong time, which is similar in offense, is permissible to confess in the presence of one who incurred an offense due to not eating leftovers. But if there is a similar offense, one bhikkhu from those bhikkhus should be immediately sent from a nearby dwelling: "Go, friend, having rectified that offense, come back. We will rectify the offense in your presence." If he obtains this, that is good. If he does not obtain it, the Saṅgha should be informed by a competent, able bhikkhu: "May the Saṅgha, venerable sirs, listen to me. This entire Saṅgha has incurred a similar offense. When it sees another bhikkhu who is pure and without offense, then it will rectify that offense in his presence." Having said this, the Uposatha should be performed. (Mahāva. 171). But if there is doubt, "May the Saṅgha, venerable sirs, listen to me. This entire Saṅgha is in doubt about a similar offense. When it becomes free from doubt, then it will rectify that offense." Having said this, the Uposatha should be performed. If, however, someone here, thinking it is permissible to confess that similar offense, confesses it in the presence of one, the confession is well-confessed. But otherwise, the declarer due to the declaration, and the receiver due to the reception, both incur a dukkaṭa. That is of various grounds, therefore, it should be declared to each other. By this much, those two become free from offense. The remaining similar offenses should be declared or announced in their presence. If they, not having done so, perform the Uposatha, they incur the dukkaṭa prescribed for performing the Uposatha by one with an offense, in the manner of "Venerables, declare your purity" (Mahāva. 134). If the entire Saṅgha, when there is a similar offense, performs the Uposatha without following the stated procedure, the entire Saṅgha incurs an offense in the stated manner. Therefore, when there is a similar offense, it is not called "fit for the Saṅgha." Thus it is said, "and there are no similar offenses." Indeed, when these similar offenses are absent, even if dissimilar offenses are present, it is still fit. And there are no objectionable persons in it. According to the saying, "Monks, the Pātimokkha should not be recited to an assembly with householders; whoever recites it incurs an offense of dukkaṭa" (Mahāva. 154), a householder (is objectionable). A bhikkhunī, as stated in the manner of "Monks, the Pātimokkha should not be recited to an assembly where a bhikkhunī is seated" (Mahāva. 183), (is objectionable). A probationer, a novice monk, a novice nun, one who has renounced the training, one who has incurred a grave offense, one suspended for not seeing an offense, one suspended for not atoning for an offense, one suspended for not renouncing a wrong view, a eunuch, a stealthy dweller, one who has gone over to another sect, one who has become an animal, a matricide, a parricide, a slayer of an Arahant, a defiler of a bhikkhunī, a schismatic of the Saṅgha, one who has caused blood to flow (on a Buddha), one with both sexual characteristics— these twenty, making twenty-one persons, are called objectionable persons. They should be avoided by keeping them outside arm's reach. Indeed, when these three types of suspended persons are present, the Saṅgha performing the Uposatha incurs a pācittiya offense. In the remaining cases, it is a dukkaṭa. And here, "one who has become an animal" means... That ordination is rejected. Heretics are included with householders. For these are indeed to be avoided.