1.0.1Origin story

1.0.2First substory

1.1Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.∥At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.1.2Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū vikāle gāmaṁ pavisitvā sabhāyaṁ nisīditvā anekavihitaṁ tiracchānakathaṁ kathenti, seyyathidaṁ—At that time the monks from the group of six entered the village at the wrong time, sat down in the public meeting hall, and talked about all sorts of worldly things:1.3rājakathaṁ corakathaṁ mahāmattakathaṁ senākathaṁ bhayakathaṁ yuddhakathaṁ annakathaṁ pānakathaṁ vatthakathaṁ sayanakathaṁ mālākathaṁ gandhakathaṁ ñātikathaṁ yānakathaṁ gāmakathaṁ nigamakathaṁ nagarakathaṁ janapadakathaṁ itthikathaṁ sūrakathaṁ visikhākathaṁ kumbhaṭṭhānakathaṁ pubbapetakathaṁ nānattakathaṁ lokakkhāyikaṁ samuddakkhāyikaṁ itibhavābhavakathaṁ iti vā.about kings, gangsters, and officials; about armies, dangers, and battles; about food, drink, clothes, and beds; about garlands and perfumes; about relatives, vehicles, villages, towns, and countries; about women and heroes; gossip; about the departed; about various trivialities; about the world and the sea; about the various kinds of existence.

1.4Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—People complained and criticized them,1.5“kathañhi nāma samaṇā sakyaputtiyā vikāle gāmaṁ pavisitvā sabhāyaṁ nisīditvā anekavihitaṁ tiracchānakathaṁ kathessanti, seyyathidaṁ—“How can the Sakyan monastics enter the village at the wrong time, sit down in the public meeting hall, and talk about such worldly things?1.6rājakathaṁ corakathaṁ …pe…1.7itibhavābhavakathaṁ iti vā, seyyathāpi gihī kāmabhogino”ti.They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!”

1.8Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.The monks heard the complaints of those people,1.9Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—and the monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks,1.10“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū vikāle gāmaṁ pavisitvā sabhāyaṁ nisīditvā anekavihitaṁ tiracchānakathaṁ kathessanti, seyyathidaṁ—“How can the monks from the group of six do this?”1.11rājakathaṁ corakathaṁ …pe……1.12itibhavābhavakathaṁ iti vā”ti …pe…1.13“saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, vikāle gāmaṁ pavisitvā sabhāyaṁ nisīditvā anekavihitaṁ tiracchānakathaṁ kathetha, seyyathidaṁ—“Is it true, monks, that you do this?”1.14rājakathaṁ corakathaṁ …pe…1.15itibhavābhavakathaṁ iti vā”ti?

1.16“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”

1.17Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.18kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, vikāle gāmaṁ pavisitvā sabhāyaṁ nisīditvā anekavihitaṁ tiracchānakathaṁ kathessatha, seyyathidaṁ—“Foolish men, how can you do this?1.19rājakathaṁ corakathaṁ …pe…1.20itibhavābhavakathaṁ iti vā.1.21Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.22evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

1.23.0First preliminary ruling

1.23.1PTS 4.165“Yo pana bhikkhu vikāle gāmaṁ paviseyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a monk enters an inhabited area at the wrong time, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

1.24Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

2.0Second substory

2.1Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū kosalesu janapade sāvatthiṁ gacchantā sāyaṁ aññataraṁ gāmaṁ upagacchiṁsu.Soon afterwards a number of monks were walking through the Kosalan country on their way to Sāvatthī, when one evening they came to a certain village.2.2Manussā te bhikkhū passitvā etadavocuṁ—People saw them and said,2.3“pavisatha, bhante”ti.“Venerables, please enter the village.”2.4Atha kho te bhikkhū—2.5“bhagavatā paṭikkhittaṁ vikāle gāmaṁ pavisitun”ti kukkuccāyantā na pavisiṁsu.But knowing that entering a village at the wrong time had been prohibited by the Buddha and being afraid of wrongdoing, they declined.2.6Corā te bhikkhū acchindiṁsu.And so thieves robbed them.

2.7Atha kho te bhikkhū sāvatthiṁ gantvā bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.They then went to Sāvatthī and told the monks what had happened,2.8Bhikkhū bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.who in turn told the Buddha.2.9Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

2.10“anujānāmi, bhikkhave, āpucchā vikāle gāmaṁ pavisituṁ.“Monks, I allow you to enter an inhabited area at the wrong time after informing someone.

2.11Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

2.12.0Second preliminary ruling

2.12.1“Yo pana bhikkhu anāpucchā vikāle gāmaṁ paviseyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a monk, without informing anyone, enters an inhabited area at the wrong time, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

2.13Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

3.0Third substory

3.1Tena kho pana samayena aññataro bhikkhu kosalesu janapade sāvatthiṁ gacchanto sāyaṁ aññataraṁ gāmaṁ upagacchi.Soon afterwards a monk was walking through the Kosalan country on his way to Sāvatthī, when one evening he came to a certain village.3.2Manussā taṁ bhikkhuṁ passitvā etadavocuṁ—People saw him and said,3.3“pavisatha, bhante”ti.“Venerable, please enter the village.”3.4Atha kho so bhikkhu—3.5“bhagavatā paṭikkhittaṁ anāpucchā vikāle gāmaṁ pavisitun”ti kukkuccāyanto na pāvisi.But knowing that entering a village at the wrong time without informing anyone had been prohibited by the Buddha and being afraid of wrongdoing, he declined.3.6Corā taṁ bhikkhuṁ acchindiṁsu.And so thieves robbed him.

3.7Atha kho so bhikkhu sāvatthiṁ gantvā bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi.He then went to Sāvatthī and told the monks what had happened,3.8Bhikkhū bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.who in turn told the Buddha.3.9Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

3.10“anujānāmi, bhikkhave, santaṁ bhikkhuṁ āpucchā vikāle gāmaṁ pavisituṁ.“Monks, I allow you to enter an inhabited area at the wrong time after informing an available monk.

3.11Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

3.12.0Third preliminary ruling

3.12.1“Yo pana bhikkhu santaṁ bhikkhuṁ anāpucchā vikāle gāmaṁ paviseyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a monk, when a monk is available, enters an inhabited area at the wrong time without informing him, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

3.13Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

4.0Fourth substory

4.1PTS 4.166Tena kho pana samayena aññataro bhikkhu ahinā daṭṭho hoti.Soon afterwards a monk was bitten by a snake.4.2Aññataro bhikkhu “aggiṁ āharissāmī”ti gāmaṁ gacchati.Another monk went to the village to get fire.4.3Atha kho so bhikkhu—He then remembered4.4“bhagavatā paṭikkhittaṁ santaṁ bhikkhuṁ anāpucchā vikāle gāmaṁ pavisitun”ti kukkuccāyanto na pāvisi …pe…that the Buddha has prohibited entering a village at the wrong time without informing an available monk. And being afraid of wrongdoing, he did not enter.¹4.5bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.They told the Buddha.4.6Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

4.7“anujānāmi, bhikkhave, tathārūpe accāyike karaṇīye santaṁ bhikkhuṁ anāpucchā vikāle gāmaṁ pavisituṁ.“Monks, I allow you to enter an inhabited area at the wrong time without informing an available monk if there is some appropriate urgent business.

4.8Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: