1.0Origin story

1.1Tena samayena buddho bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.At one time when the Buddha was staying at Kosambī in Ghosita’s Monastery,1.2Tena kho pana samayena aññatarena brāhmaṇena saṅghassa payopānaṁ paṭiyattaṁ hoti.a brahmin prepared a milk drink for the Sangha.1.3Bhikkhū surusurukārakaṁ khīraṁ pivanti.The monks slurped while drinking the milk.1.4Aññataro naṭapubbako bhikkhu evamāha—A monk who was previously an entertainer made a joke of it, saying,1.5“sabboyaṁ maññe saṅgho sītīkato”ti.“It’s as if the whole Sangha is cooled.”¹

1.6Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The monks of few desires complained and criticized him,1.7“kathañhi nāma bhikkhu saṅghaṁ ārabbha davaṁ karissatī”ti …pe…“How could a monk joke about the Sangha?” …1.8“saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, bhikkhu, saṅghaṁ ārabbha davaṁ akāsī”ti?“Is it true, monk, that you did this?”

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

1.10Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked him …1.11kathañhi nāma tvaṁ, moghapurisa, saṅghaṁ ārabbha davaṁ karissasi.“Foolish man, how could you do this?1.12Netaṁ, moghapurisa, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …”1.13vigarahitvā …pe…After rebuking him …1.14dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—he gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

1.15“na, bhikkhave, buddhaṁ vā dhammaṁ vā saṅghaṁ vā ārabbha davo kātabbo.“Monks, you should not joke about the Buddha, the Teaching, or the Sangha.1.16Yo kareyya, āpatti dukkaṭassā”ti.If you do, you commit an offense of wrong conduct.”

1.17Atha kho bhagavā taṁ bhikkhuṁ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā dubbharatāya …pe…After rebuking that monk in many ways, the Buddha spoke in dispraise of being difficult to support …1.18evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: