Cullavagga - First Khandhaka: Chapter 1

CULLAVAGGA.
FIRST KHANDHAKA.
THE MINOR DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS.
I. THE TAGGANIYA KAMMA (ACT OF REBUKE).
1.
1. At that time the Blessed One was staying at Getavana, in the grove of
Anâtha-pindika.
Now at that time the Bhikkhus who were followers of Panduka and of Lohitaka
1,--who themselves were makers of strife, quarrelsome 2, makers of disputes 3,
given to idle talk, and raisers of legal questions in the Samgha 4,--used to go
up to such other Bhikkhus as were the same, and say, 'Do not allow such a one,
venerable Sirs, to turn you back. Discuss loud and long. You are indeed
cleverer, more wise, more well informed, more able at that (than
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your adversaries are) and do not you be afraid of them. We too will be on your
side.' Thereby both disputes arose which had not arisen before; and disputes
which had arisen grew hotter.
2. Those Bhikkhus who were modest were annoyed, murmured, and became indignant,
saying, How can the Bhikkhus who are followers of Panduka and of Lohitaka act
thus.' And those Bhikkhus told the matter to the Blessed One.
Then the Blessed One on that occasion, and in that connection, convened an
assembly of the Order of Bhikkhus, and inquired of the Bhikkhus: 'Is it true, as
they say, Bhikkhus, that those Bhikkhus who are followers of Panduka and
Lohitaka,--who themselves (&c., as in § 1, down to the end)?'
'It is true, Lord!'
The Blessed Buddha rebuked them, saying, 'This is improper, O Bhikkhus, for
those foolish persons, not according to rule, unsuitable, unworthy of a Samana,
unbecoming, and ought not to be done. How can these foolish persons, O Bhikkhus,
who themselves (&c., as in § 1, down to the end). This will not conduce, O
Bhikkhus, either to the conversion of the unconverted, or to the increase of the
converted; but rather to those who have not been converted being not converted,
and to the turning back of those who have been converted.'
3. And when the Blessed One had rebuked those Bhikkhus in various
ways,--speaking of the evils of being hard to satisfy in the matter of support
or nourishment, of wishing for much, of discontent, of love of society, and of
sloth; and speaking in praise of being easy to satisfy in the matter of support
and nourishment, of wishing for little, of the
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contented man who has eradicated (evils from his mind), has quelled his passions
1, and is full of faith, of reverence, and of the exercise of zeal,--when he had
thus held a religious discourse to the Bhikkhus as to what was fit and suitable
in that respect, he addressed the Bhikkhus, and said: 'Let the Samgha,
therefore, O Bhikkhus, carry out the Tagganiya-kamma (Act of Rebuke) against
those Bhikkhus.
4. 'Now thus, O Bhikkhus, should it be carried out. In the first place the
Bhikkhus who are followers of Panduka and Lohitaka ought to be warned; when they
have been warned, they ought to be reminded (of the Rule in the Pâtimokkha
against which they have offended); when they have been reminded, they ought to
be charged with the (particular) offence; when they have been charged with the
offence, some discreet and able Bhikkhu ought to lay the matter before the
Samgha, saying,
'"Let the venerable Samgha hear me. These Bhikkhus who are followers of Panduka
and Lohitaka, who themselves (&c., as in § 1, down to the end). If the time is
fit for the Samgha (to do so) let the Samgha carry out the Tagganiya-kamma
against the Bhikkhus who are followers of Panduka and Lohitaka.
'"Such is the motion (ñatti).
'"Let the venerable Samgha hear me. The Bhikkhus who are followers of Panduka
and Lohitaka,
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who themselves (&c., as in § 1, down to the end). The Samgha hereby carries out
the Tagganiya-kamma against them. Whosoever of the venerable ones approves of
the carrying out of the Tagganiya-kamma against the Bhikkhus who are followers
of Panduka and Lohitaka, let him remain silent. Whosoever approves not thereof,
let him speak.
'"A second time I say the same thing. Let the venerable Samgha (&c., as before
1). A third time I say the same thing. Let the venerable Samgha (&c., as before
r).
'"The Tagganiya-kamma against the Bhikkhus who are followers of Panduka and
Lohitaka has been carried by the Samgha. The Samgha approves (the motion).
Therefore is it silent. Thus do I understand."'



Footnotes
329:1 These were two out of the six notorious Khabbaggiya Bhikkhus, who are so
frequently mentioned elsewhere. Buddhaghosa says, tesam nissitakâ pi
Pandukalohitakâ tv’ eva paññâyanti.
329:2 In addition to the passages referred to in the two following notes,
compare the closing words of the Pâtimokkha, and the 2nd, 3rd, 12th, 13th, 17th,
54th, 74th, and 75th Pâkittiyas.
329:3 Such persons were formerly dealt with according to the 10th, 11th, and
12th Samghâdisesas.
329:4 Such persons were formerly dealt with according to the 8th and 9th
Samghâdisesas and the 76th Pâkittiya. Compare also below, IV, 14, and the 63rd
and 79th Pâkittiyas.
331:1 We have here the substance of that 'religious discourse' (dhammim katham)
which the Buddha is so frequently stated to have held before he laid down the
rule for the guidance of the Bhikkhus in the particular matter which had been
brought before him. It recurs in the Mahâvagga (I, 25, 6), and is constantly to
be supplied both there and below.
332:1 The motion just proposed is repeated down to the end.