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Homage to that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. The Basket of Discipline Questions and Answers of the Recitation The Discourse on Granting Permission May the Sangha, venerable sirs, hear me. This assembly is large. It is not easy to make the entire discourse heard by such an assembly. Therefore, to the venerable Elder Javana, resident of Pakhukkūnanagara, and to the venerable Vicittasārābhivaṃsa, the Tipitaka-holder, the Dhamma-treasurer, I grant permission to undertake the burden of questioning the Vinaya and the burden of answering the Vinaya. Friends, perform the duties of questioning the Vinaya and answering the Vinaya, which are the preliminaries to the Sixth Council, in accordance with the Dhamma and the Vinaya. By the Most Eminent Great Scholar, the Venerable Elder Javana Established Motion for the Appointment of the Questioner May the Sangha, venerable sirs, hear me. If it is agreeable to the Sangha, I would question the venerable Vicittasārābhivaṃsa, the Tipitaka-holder, the Dhamma-treasurer, concerning the Vinaya. The Tipitaka-holder, the Dhamma-treasurer By the Venerable Vicittasārābhivaṃsa Motion for the Appointment of the Answerer May the Sangha, venerable sirs, hear me. If it is agreeable to the Sangha, I would answer, being questioned concerning the Vinaya by the venerable Elder Javana, who is a representative of the Sanghanāyaka Mahāthera. Questioning on the First Pārājika Precept Question – Where, friend, was the first pārājika precept laid down by the Blessed One, the Knower, the Seer, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One? Answer – It was laid down in Vesālī, venerable sir. Question – Concerning whom, friend, was it laid down? Answer – It was laid down concerning Sudinna, son of Kalandaka, venerable sir. Question – On account of what incident, friend, was it laid down? Answer – Sudinna, son of Kalandaka, venerable sir, engaged in sexual intercourse with his former wife. On account of that incident, venerable sir, it was laid down. Question – Is there, friend, in that (precept) an original enactment, a supplementary enactment, or an unarisen enactment? Answer – There is, venerable sir, one original enactment, two supplementary enactments. An unarisen enactment is not in that (precept). is. Question – Is it a universal designation, friend, or a partial designation? Answer – It is a universal designation, venerable sir. Question – Is it a common designation, friend, or an uncommon designation? Answer – It is a common designation, venerable sir. Question – Is it a one-sided designation, friend, or a two-sided designation? Answer – It is a two-sided designation, venerable sir. Question – Among the five recitations of the Pātimokkha, friend, where is it included, where is it comprised? Answer – It is included in the Nidāna, venerable sir, comprised in the Nidāna. Question – By which recitation, friend, does it come to be recited? Answer – By the second recitation, venerable sir, it comes to be recited. Question – Among the four failures, friend, which is the failure? Answer – It is the failure in virtue, venerable sir. Question – What, friend, is failure? Answer – Non-restraint, venerable sir, is failure. Question – What, friend, is accomplishment? Answer – Restraint, venerable sir, is accomplishment. Question – What, friend, is practice? Answer – "I will not do such a thing" – taking up the training precepts for life, until the end of life, one trains in them; this, venerable sir, is practice. Question – For how many purposes, friend, was the first Pārājika laid down by the Blessed One? Answer – For ten purposes, venerable sir, was the first Pārājika laid down by the Blessed One: 1 - for the well-being of the Sangha, 2 - for the comfort of the Sangha, 3 - for the suppression of unruly individuals, 4 - for the comfortable living of virtuous bhikkhus, 5 - for the restraint of defilements in this very life, 6 - for the prevention of defilements in future lives, 7 - for the inspiring of the uninspired, 8 - for the increase of the inspired, 9 - for the stability of the True Dhamma, 10 - for the upholding of the Vinaya. Question – Who, friend, trains? Answer – Trainees, venerable sir, and noble ordinary people train. Question – Who, friend, are those who have completed their training? Answer – Arahants, venerable sir, are those who have completed their training. Question – Where, friend, is it established? Answer – – established in those who desire to train, venerable sir. Question – Who, friends, uphold it? Answer – Those, venerable sir, for whom it is valid, they uphold it. Question – Whose word, friends, is it? Answer – It is the word of the Blessed One, venerable sir, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. Question – By whom, friends, was it brought? Answer – It was brought by tradition, venerable sir. Announcement to the Sangha for the purpose of recitation: May the Sangha, venerable sirs, listen to me. I, venerable sirs, questioned the venerable Vicittasārābhivaṃsa, the Tipitakadhara, the Dhamma-treasurer, about the origin of the first Pārājika, and I questioned about the person, and I questioned about the object, and I questioned about the ordinances and supplementary ordinances, etc. And being questioned, that venerable Vicittasārābhivaṃsa answered. Thus, venerable sirs, this first Pārājika training rule is stainless, perfectly pure, the very word of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. Therefore, just as in the past, the great elder-chiefs like Mahākassapa and others, the ancient reciters, recited and re-recited the Dhamma and Vinaya for the long duration of the Buddha's Dispensation, which is called the holy life, for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the benefit, for the happiness of gods and humans, so too now, all of us, included in the Great Dhamma Assembly of the Sixth Council, let us recite this first Pārājika training rule by chanting it together. The discourse on granting permission by Revatābhi Paṇḍitadhaja Sāsanavaṃsa Mahādhammarājaguru, and by Abhidhajamahāraṭṭhaguru, the Sanghanāyaka Mahāthera: May the Sangha, venerable sirs, listen to me. This assembly is large. It is not easy to make a discourse heard by everyone in such an assembly. Therefore, I grant permission to the venerable Sobhana, residing in Sāsanāri Sārāma, and to the venerable Vicittasārābhivaṃsa, the Tipitakadhara, the Dhamma-treasurer, to undertake the burden of questioning on the Vinaya and the burden of answering on the Vinaya. Do you, friends, perform the preliminary acts of the Sixth Council, the questioning on the Vinaya and the answering on the Vinaya. ...according to Dhamma, according to Vinaya. By the Most Eminent Great Scholar, Venerable Elder Sobhana. The motion for the questioner's consent is established. May the Saṅgha, venerable sirs, hear me. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, I would question the Venerable Vicittasārābhivaṃsa, Holder of the Three Piṭakas, Treasurer of the Dhamma, on the Vinaya. Holder of the Three Piṭakas, Treasurer of the Dhamma By the Venerable Vicittasārābhivaṃsa The motion for the answerer's consent is established. May the Saṅgha, venerable sirs, hear me. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, I, being questioned on the Vinaya by the Venerable Elder Sobhana, who is the representative of the Saṅghanāyaka Mahāthera, would answer. Question on the Second Pārājika Precept Question: Friend, where was the second pārājika enacted by the Blessed One, the Knower, the Seer, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One? Answer: It was enacted in Rājagaha, venerable sir. Question: Friend, concerning whom was it enacted? Answer: It was enacted concerning Dhaniya, the potter's son, venerable sir. Question: Friend, concerning what matter was it enacted? Answer: Dhaniya, the potter's son, venerable sir, took wood belonging to the king, that was not given. It was enacted concerning that matter. Question: Friend, is there there an original enactment, a supplementary enactment, or an unarisen enactment? Answer: There is one original enactment, venerable sir, and one supplementary enactment. An unarisen enactment is not there. Question: Friend, what is the original enactment there? Answer: "Whatever monk should take what is not given, with the intention of stealing, in such a way that kings, having seized a thief, would kill him, or bind him, or banish him, saying: 'You are a thief, you are foolish, you are deluded, you are a robber!' A monk taking what is not given in such a way, he too is defeated, he is not in communion." This, venerable sir, is the original enactment there. Question: Friend, what is the supplementary enactment there? Answer: "Whether in a village or in a forest" This, venerable sir, is the supplementary enactment there. Question: Friend, what is the complete enactment there? Answer: "Whatever monk, whether in a village or in a forest..." or if he takes what is not given, which is reckoned as theft, in what kind of taking of what is not given do kings seize a thief, and kill him, or bind him, or banish him, (saying) "You are a thief, you are foolish, you are deluded, you are a robber!"? A bhikkhu who takes what is not given in such a way is also defeated, he is not in communion. This, venerable sirs, is the full exposition regarding that. Question: Is it a universal rule, friend, or a partial rule? Answer: It is a universal rule, venerable sir. Question: Is it a common rule, friend, or an uncommon rule? Answer: It is a common rule, venerable sir. Question: Is it a one-sided rule, friend, or a two-sided rule? Answer: It is a two-sided rule, venerable sir. Question: In that second Pārājika, friend, how many offenses does one incur by taking what is not given? Explain by dividing.