Cullavagga - Fourth Khandhaka: Chapter 9

Now at that time the Bhikkhus in chapter (Samgha) assembled, since they became
violent, quarrelsome, and disputatious, and kept on wounding one another with
sharp words 4, were unable
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to settle the disputed question (that was brought before them).
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
1'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to settle such a dispute by the vote of the
majority. A Bhikkhu who shall be possessed of five qualifications shall be
appointed as taker of the voting tickets--one who does not walk in partiality,
one who does not walk in malice, one who does not walk in folly, one who does
not walk in fear 2, one who knows what (votes) have been taken and what have not
been taken.
'And thus shall he be appointed.
'First the Bhikkhu is to be requested (whether he will undertake the office).
Then some able and discreet Bhikkhu is to bring the matter before the Samgha,
saying,
'"Let the venerable Samgha hear me. If the time seems meet to the Samgha, let
the Samgha appoint a Bhikkhu of such and such a name as taker of the voting
tickets.
'"This is the motion (ñatti).
'"Let the venerable Samgha hear me. The Samgha appoints a Bhikkhu of such and
such a name as taker of the tickets. Whosoever of the venerable ones approves of
the Bhikkhu of such and such a name being appointed as taker of the
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tickets, let him keep silence. Whosoever approves not thereof, let him speak.
The Bhikkhu of such and such a name is appointed by the Samgha as taker of the
voting tickets. Therefore is it silent. Thus do I understand.'"



Footnotes
24:4 Aññamaññam mukhaisattîhi vitudantâ viharanti. Literally, 'with
mouth-javelins.' Vitudati, and not vitûdati as Childers gives, is the right
spelling. So Fausböll reads at Jâtaka II, 185, 186.
25:1 From here to the end of the chapter recurs in IV, 14, 24.
25:2 These are the qualifications always ascribed to one who rightly fills any
judicial offence, and are called the four Agatis. They are the especial
attributes of a good king sitting as judge, and are mentioned elsewhere
(Samghâdisesa XIII; Mahâvagga VIII, 5, 2; VIII, 6, 1; and below, VI, 11, 2) of
other officials of the order with duties similar to those in the text.