Now at that time a certain young brahman went to the monks and requested the Going-forth.

The monks told him the supports beforehand.

He said, “Venerable sirs, if you had told me the supports after I had gone forth, I would have delighted (in following them). But now I won’t go forth. The supports are disgusting and revolting to me.”

They reported the matter to the Blessed One.

“The supports should not be told beforehand. Whoever should tell (them beforehand): an offense of wrong doing.

“I allow the supports to be told immediately after one has been given Acceptance.”

Now at that time the monks gave Acceptance by a group of two, a group of three, or a group of four.

They reported the matter to the Blessed One.

“Monks, (a candidate) should not be given Acceptance by a group of fewer than ten. Whoever should (so) give Acceptance: an offense of wrong doing.

“Monks, I allow that (a candidate) be given Acceptance by a group of ten or more.” [BMC: 1 2]

Now at that time monks with one or two rains gave Acceptance to their students.

Ven. Upasena the Vaṅganta-son, having been ordained for one rains, gave Acceptance to a student.

Having spent the rains, he, with two rains, taking his student who had one rains, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side.

It is customary for Buddhas, Blessed Ones, to exchange pleasantries with incoming monks.

Then the Blessed One said to Ven. Upasena the Vaṅganta-son, “Is it agreeable, monks? Are you getting by? Did you come along the road with little weariness?”

“It’s agreeble, O Blessed One. We’re getting by. And we came along the road with little weariness, lord.”

Knowing, Tathāgatas ask. Knowing, they don’t ask.

Considering the time, they ask. Considering the time, they don’t ask.

Tathāgatas ask in a way that is connected to the goal /welfare, not in a way unconnected to the goal/welfare. Tathāgatas have cut off the bridge in reference to things that are unconnected to the goal/welfare.

Buddhas, Blessed Ones, cross-question monks for two reasons: (thinking,) “I will teach the Dhamma,” or (thinking,) “I will lay down a training rule.”

Then the Blessed One said to Ven. Upasena the Vaṅganta-son, “Monk, how many rains do you have?”

“I have two rains, O Blessed One.”

“And how many rains does this monk have?”

“One rains, O Blessed One.”

“Is this monk your (student)?”

“Is this monk your (student)?” Is he yours, this monk?

“He’s my student, O Blessed One.”

The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked him, “Worthless man, it is unseemly, unbecoming, unsuitable, and unworthy of a contemplative; improper and not to be done.

“Worthless man, how can you, being taught and admonished by another, think to teach and admonish another?

“All too quickly has this worthless man backslid into abundance, in this case, forming a following.

“Worthless man, this neither inspires faith in the faithless …”

Having rebuked him and given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks,

“Monks, one with fewer than ten Rains shouldn’t give Acceptance. Whoever should (so) give Acceptance: an offense of wrong doing.

“I allow one with ten Rains or more to give Acceptance.”

Now at that time inexperienced, incompetent monks, (thinking,) “I have ten rains. I have ten rains,” gave Acceptance.

There were seen to be foolish preceptors and wise students; there were seen to be inexperienced preceptors and experienced students; there were seen to be unlearned preceptors and learned students; there were seen to be preceptors with poor discernment and discerning students.

A certain (monk) who was previously a member of another religion, being spoken to by his preceptor (regarding a rule), refuted his preceptor and went over to the fold of that very religion.

Those monks who were modest … criticized and complained and spread it about:

“How can inexperienced, incompetent monks, (thinking,) ‘I have ten rains. I have ten rains,’ give Acceptance?

“There are seen to be foolish preceptors and wise students; there are seen to be inexperienced preceptors and experienced students; there are seen to be unlearned preceptors and learned students; there are seen to be preceptors with poor discernment and discerning students.”

Then the monks reported the matter to the Blessed One.

“Monks, is it true, as they say, that inexperienced, incompetent monks, (thinking,) ‘I have ten rains. I have ten rains,’ give Acceptance,

“(so that) there are seen to be foolish preceptors and wise students; there are seen to be inexperienced preceptors and experienced students; there are seen to be unlearned preceptors and learned students; there are seen to be preceptors with poor discernment and discerning students?”

“It’s true, O Blessed One.”

The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them, “Foolish men, how can you inexperienced, incompetent monks, (thinking,) ‘I have ten rains. I have ten rains,’ give Acceptance?

“There are seen to be foolish preceptors and wise students; there are seen to be inexperienced preceptors and experienced students; there are seen to be unlearned preceptors and learned students; there are seen to be preceptors with poor discernment and discerning students.”

Having rebuked him and given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks,

“An inexperienced, incompetent monk shouldn’t give Acceptance. Whoever should (so) give Acceptance: an offense of wrong doing.

“I allow a monk with ten rains or more who is experienced and competent to give Acceptance.” [BMC]

Now at that time, when their preceptors had gone away, monks — left, renounced the training, died, or gone over to (another) faction — not having a teacher, not being taught or admonished, went for alms with their lower and upper robes poorly adjusted, not consummate in proper behavior.

As people were eating, they would come up and stand with their bowls over staple foods, non-staple foods, delicacies, and drinks. They would eat rice and curries they had asked for themselves, and they kept making a great racket in the meal hall.

People criticized and complained and spread it about,

“How can these Sakyan-son monks go for alms with their lower and upper robes poorly adjusted, not consummate in proper behavior? And, as people are eating, come up and stand with their bowls over staple foods, non-staple foods, delicacies, and drinks? And eat rice and curries they have asked for themselves? And keep making a great racket in the meal hall, just like brahmans at a brahman meal?”

The monks heard the people criticizing and complaining and spreading it about.

Those monks who were modest … criticized and complained and spread it about:

“How can these monks go for alms with their lower and upper robes poorly adjusted, not consummate in proper behavior? … And keep (making a great racket in the meal hall)?”

Then the monks reported the matter to the Blessed One. …

“Monks, is it true, as they say, that monks go for alms with their lower and upper robes poorly adjusted, not consummate in proper behavior? … And keep (making a great racket in the meal hall)?”

“It’s true, O Blessed One.”

The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them, …

Having rebuked him and given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks,

“I allow a teacher.

“The teacher will foster the attitude he would have toward a son [‘son-mind’] with regard to the pupil.

“The pupil will foster the attitude he would have toward a father [‘father-mind’] with regard to the teacher.

“Thus they — living with mutual respect, deference, and courtesy — will arrive at growth, increase, and maturity in this Dhamma-Vinaya.

“I allow one to live in dependence for ten Rains, and for dependence to be given by one with ten Rains.”

“And here is how a teacher is to be taken.

“Arranging the upper robe over one shoulder, bowing down at his feet, sitting in the kneeling position with hands placed palm-to-palm over the heart, one is to say this:

“‘Venerable sir, be my teacher. I will live in dependence on the venerable one. Venerable sir, be my teacher. I will live in dependence on the venerable one. Venerable sir, be my teacher. I will live in dependence on the venerable one.’”

“If he (the teacher) indicates by gesture, by speech, by gesture and speech, ‘Very well’ or ‘Certainly’ or ‘All right’ or ‘It is proper’ or ‘Attain consummation in an amicable way’ he is taken as teacher. [BMC]

“If he does not indicate (this) by gesture, by speech, or by gesture and speech, he is not taken as teacher.”

“A pupil should behave rightly toward his teacher.

“Here, this is the proper behavior:

“Having gotten up early, having taken off his sandals, having arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, (the pupil) should provide tooth wood [Pc 40] and water for washing the face/rinsing the mouth.

“(The pupil) should lay out a seat. If there is conjey, then having washed a shallow bowl, he should offer the conjey to the teacher. [Mv.VI.24.5]

“When he has drunk the conjey, then having given him water, having received the bowl, having lowered it (so as not to let the washing water wet one’s robes), (the pupil) should wash it carefully without scraping it and then put it away.

“When the teacher has gotten up, (the pupil) should take up the seat.

“If the place is dirty, (the pupil) should sweep it.

“If the teacher wishes to enter the village for alms, (the pupil) should give him his lower robe, receiving the spare lower robe (he is wearing) from him in return.

“(The pupil) should give him his waistband and, making (the upper robe) a lining (for the outer robe), give him the joined robes.

“Having rinsed out the bowl, he should give it to (the teacher) while it is still wet (i.e., pour out as much of the rinsing water as possible, but don’t wipe it dry).

“If the teacher desires an attendant, he should put on his lower robe so as to cover the three circles all around.

“Then he should put on the waistband, make (the upper robe) a lining (for the outer robe), put the joined robes on, and fasten the (lower) fastener. Having washed and taken a bowl, (the pupil) should be the teacher’s attendant.

“(The pupil) should not walk too far behind him; he should not walk too close. He should receive the contents of (the teacher’s) bowl.

“(The pupil) should not interrupt the teacher when he is speaking. If the teacher is bordering on an offense, (the pupil) should stop him.

“Returning ahead of the teacher, he should lay out a seat.

“(The pupil) should put out washing water for the feet, a foot stand, and a pebble foot wiper.

“Having gone to meet him, (the pupil) should receive his bowl and robe.

“(The pupil) should give him his spare lower robe and receive the lower robe in return.

“If the (upper and outer) robes are damp with perspiration, (the pupil) should dry them for a short time in the (sun’s) warmth, but do not leave them in the (sun’s) warmth (for long).

“(The pupil) should fold up the robes, keeping the edges four fingerbreadths apart so that neither robe becomes creased in the middle.

“He should place the waistband in the fold of the robe.

“If there is almsfood, and the teacher wishes to eat, (the pupil) should give him water and offer the almsfood to him.

“(The pupil) should ask if he wants drinking water.

“When he has finished his meal, then having given him water, (the pupil) should receive the bowl, lower it, and wash it carefully without scraping it. Then, having dried it, he should set it out for a short time in the (sun’s) warmth, but should not leave it in the (sun’s) warmth (for long).

“He should put away the robes and bowl.

“When putting away the bowl, he should take the bowl in one hand, run his hand under the bed or bench with the other hand (to check for things on the floor that would harm the bowl), and put away the bowl (there), but should not put it away on the bare ground.

“When putting away the robe, he should take the robe with one hand, stroke the other hand along the rod or cord for the robes, and put away the robe (over the cord or rod) with the edges away from him and the fold toward him.

“When the teacher has gotten up, (the pupil) should take up the seat. Put away the washing water for the feet, the foot-stand, and the pebble foot wiper. If the place is dirty, sweep it.

“If the teacher wishes to bathe, (the pupil) should prepare a bath. Prepare a cold bath if he wants a cold one, a hot bath if he wants a hot one.

“If the teacher wishes to enter the sauna, (the pupil) should knead the powder for bathing, moisten the bathing clay, take a sauna-bench, and follow closely behind him.

“(The pupil) should give him the bench, receive his robe in return, and lay it to one side.

“(The pupil) should give him the (moistened) powder for bathing and clay.

“If he is able to, (the pupil) should enter the sauna.

“When entering the sauna, he should do so having smeared his face with the bathing clay and covered himself front and back.

“He should sit so as not to encroach on the senior monks, at the same time not preempting the junior monks from a seat.

“(The pupil) should perform services for the teacher in the sauna.

“When leaving the sauna, he should do so taking the sauna-bench and having covered himself front and back.

“(The pupil) should perform a service for the teacher even in the bathing water.

“Having bathed, (the pupil) should come out of the water first, dry himself, and put on his lower robe.

“Then he should rub the water off the teacher, give him his lower robe, and give him his outer robe.

“Taking the sauna-bench, (the pupil) should return first, lay out a seat, put out washing water for the feet, a foot stand, and a pebble foot wiper.

“He should ask the teacher if he wants drinking water.

“If (the teacher) wants him to recite, he should recite. If (the teacher) wants to interrogate him, he should answer (the teacher’s) interrogation.

“If the dwelling where the teacher is staying is dirty, (the pupil) should clean it if he is able to.

“When cleaning the dwelling, first taking out the bowl and robes, he should lay them to one side.

“Taking out the sitting cloth and sheet, he should lay them to one side.

“Taking out the mattress and pillow, he should lay them to one side.

“Having lowered the bed, he should take it out carefully, without scraping it [along the floor] or knocking it against the door or doorposts [doorframe], and then lay it to one side.

“Having lowered the bench, he should take it out carefully, without scraping it [along the floor] or knocking it against the door or doorposts, and then lay it to one side.

“Taking out the supports for the bed, he should lay them to one side.

“Taking out the spittoon, he should it them to one side.

“Taking out the leaning board, he should lay it to one side.

“Having taken note of where the ground-covering was laid out, he should take it out and lay it to one side.

“If there are cobwebs in the dwelling, he should remove them, starting first with the ceiling covering-cloth (and working down).

“He should wipe areas around the window frames and the corners (of the room).

“If the wall has been treated with ochre and has become moldy, he should moisten a rag, wring it out, and wipe it clean.

“If the floor of the room is treated with blackening [i.e. polished] and has become moldy, he should moisten a rag, wring it out, and wipe it clean.

“If the floor is untreated, he should sprinkle it all over with water before sweeping it, (with the thought,) ‘May the dust not fly up and soil the room.’

“He should look for any rubbish and throw it away to one side.

“Having dried the ground-covering in the sun, he should clean it, shake it out, bring it back in, and lay it out as it was laid out (before).

“Having dried the supports for the bed in the sun, he should wipe them, bring them back in, and set them in their proper places.

“Having dried the bed in the sun, he should clean it, shake it out, lower it, bring it back in carefully without scraping it [along the floor] or knocking it against the door or doorposts, and lay it out it as it was laid out (before).

“Having dried the bench in the sun, he should clean it, shake it out, lower it, bring it back in carefully without scraping it [along the floor] or knocking it against the door or doorposts, and lay it out it as it was laid out (before).

“Having dried the mattress and pillow, he should clean them, shake them out, bring them back in, and lay them out them as they were laid out (before).

“Having dried the sitting cloth and sheet in the sun, he should clean them, shake them out, bring them back in, and lay them out as they were laid out (before).

“Having dried the spittoon in the sun, he should wipe it, bring it back in, and set it in its proper place.

“Having dried the leaning board in the sun, he should wipe it, bring it back in, and set it in its proper place.

“He should put away the robes and bowl.

“When putting away the bowl, he should take the bowl in one hand, run his hand under the bed or bench with the other hand (to check for things on the floor that would harm the bowl), and put away the bowl (there), but should not put it away on the bare ground

“When putting away the robe, he should take the robe with one hand, stroke the other hand along the rod or cord for the robes, and put away the robe (over the cord or rod) with the edges away from him and the fold toward him.

“If dusty winds blow from the east, he should close the eastern windows.

“If dusty winds blow from the west, he should close the western windows.

“If dusty winds blow from the north, he should close the northern windows.

“If dusty winds blow from the south, he should close the southern windows.

“If the weather is cool, he should open the windows by day and close them at night.

“If the weather is hot, he should close them by day and open them at night.

“If the surrounding area is dirty, he should sweep it.

“If the porch is dirty, he should sweep it.

“If the assembly hall is dirty, he should sweep it.

“If the fire-hall is dirty, he should sweep it.

“If the restroom is dirty, he should sweep it.

“If there is no drinking water, he should set it out.

“If there is no washing water, he should set it out.

“If there is no water in the pot for rinsing (in the restroom), he should pour it into the pot.

“If dissatisfaction (with the holy life) arises in the teacher, the pupil should allay it or get someone else to allay it or one should give him a Dhamma talk. [BMC]

“If anxiety (over his conduct with regard to the rules) arises in the teacher, the pupil should dispel it or get someone else to dispel it or one should give him a Dhamma talk.

“If a viewpoint[1] arises in the teacher, the pupil should pry it away or get someone else to pry it away or one should give him a Dhamma talk.

“If the teacher has committed an offense against a heavy (saṅghādisesa) rule and deserves probation, the pupil should make an effort, (thinking,) ‘How can the Saṅgha grant my teacher probation?’ [BMC]

“If the teacher deserves to be sent back to the beginning, the pupil should make an effort, (thinking,) “How can the Saṅgha send my teacher back to the beginning?”

“If the teacher deserves penance, the pupil should make an effort, (thinking,) “How can the Saṅgha grant my teacher penance?”

“If the teacher deserves rehabilitation, the pupil should make an effort, (thinking,) “How can the Saṅgha grant my teacher rehabilitation?”

“If the Saṅgha wants to carry out a transaction against the teacher — censure, demotion, banishment, reconciliation, or suspension — the pupil should make an effort, (thinking,) ‘How can the Saṅgha not carry out that transaction against my teacher or else change it to a lighter one?’ [BMC]

“But if the transaction — censure, demotion, banishment, reconciliation, or suspension — is carried out against him, the pupil should make an effort, (thinking,)

“‘How can my teacher behave properly, lower his hackles, mend his ways, so that the Saṅgha will rescind that transaction?’

“If the teacher’s robe should be washed, the pupil should wash it or make an effort, (thinking,) ‘How can my teacher’s robe be washed?’or should he receive an alms bowl from that p

“If the teacher’s robe should be made, the pupil should make it or make an effort, (thinking,) ‘How can my teacher’s robe be made?’

“If the teacher’s dye should be boiled, the pupil should boil it or make an effort, (thinking,) ‘How can my teacher’s dye be boiled?’

“If the teacher’s robe should be dyed, the pupil should dye it or make an effort, (thinking,) ‘How can my teacher’s robe be dyed?’

“In dyeing the robe, he should carefully let it take the dye properly (while drying), turning it back and forth (on the line), and shouldn’t leave while the drips have not stopped.

“Without having taken the teacher’s leave, the pupil should not give an alms bowl to anyone, [on bad terms with the teacher] nor should he receive an alms bowl from that person.

“He shouldn’t give robe-cloth to that person or receive robe-cloth from that person.

“He shouldn’t give a requisite to that person or receive a requisite from that person.

“He shouldn’t cut that person’s hair or have (his own) hair cut by that person.

“He shouldn’t perform a service for that person or have that person perform a service (for him).

“He shouldn’t act as that person’s steward or have that person act as (his own) steward.

“He shouldn’t be that person’s attendant or take that person as his own attendant.

“He shouldn’t bring back almsfood for that person or have that person bring back almsfood (for him).

“Without having taken the teacher’s leave, he shouldn’t enter a town, shouldn’t go to a cemetery, shouldn’t leave the district.

“If the teacher is sick, he (the pupil) should tend to him as long as life lasts; he should stay with him until he recovers.” [BMC]

The Discussion of Duties Toward a Teacher is finished.