10.
The Discourse on the Observance
20.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in the Eastern Park, in Migāramātā's mansion.
Now at that time, on the uposatha day, the Blessed One was seated surrounded by the Community of monks.
Then the Venerable Ānanda, when the night was far advanced, when the first watch had passed, having risen from his seat, having arranged his upper robe on one shoulder, having extended joined palms in salutation towards the Blessed One, said this to the Blessed One -
"The night has passed, venerable sir, the first watch has gone, the Community of monks has been seated for a long time.
May the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha to the monks."
When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent. For the second time the Venerable Ānanda, when the night was far advanced, when the middle watch had passed, having risen from his seat, having arranged his upper robe on one shoulder, having extended joined palms in salutation towards the Blessed One, said this to the Blessed One - "The night has passed, venerable sir, the middle watch has gone, the Community of monks has been seated for a long time. May the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha to the monks." For the second time the Blessed One remained silent. For the third time the Venerable Ānanda, when the night was far advanced, when the last watch had passed, when dawn had risen, when the night had a joyful face, having risen from his seat, having arranged his upper robe on one shoulder, having extended joined palms in salutation towards the Blessed One, said this to the Blessed One - "The night has passed, venerable sir, the last watch has gone, dawn has risen, the night has a joyful face; the Community of monks has been seated for a long time. May the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha to the monks." "The assembly is not pure, Ānanda."
Then this occurred to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: "With reference to which person did the Blessed One say thus - 'The assembly is not pure, Ānanda'?" Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having encompassed the entire Community of monks with his own mind, attended to it. The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna saw that person who was immoral, of bad character, impure, of suspicious conduct, of concealed actions, not a recluse though claiming to be a recluse, not a practitioner of the holy life though claiming to be a practitioner of the holy life, rotten inside, filled with desire, rubbish-born, seated in the midst of the Community of monks; having seen him, having risen from his seat, he approached that person; having approached, he said this to that person - "Get up, friend, you have been seen by the Blessed One. There is no communion for you with the monks."
When this was said, that person remained silent. For the second time the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this to that person - "Get up, friend, you have been seen by the Blessed One. There is no communion for you with the monks." For the second time that person remained silent. For the third time the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this to that person - "Get up, friend, you have been seen by the Blessed One. There is no communion for you with the monks." For the third time that person remained silent.
Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having taken that person by the arm, having led him out of the porch, having fastened the door latch, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he said this to the Blessed One - "That person, venerable sir, has been removed by me. The assembly is pure. May the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha to the monks." "Wonderful, Moggallāna, marvellous, Moggallāna! That foolish man would wait until he was taken by the arm!"
Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Now you yourselves, monks, should perform the Observance, you should recite the Pātimokkha. From this day forth, monks, I will not perform the Observance, I will not recite the Pātimokkha. This is impossible, monks, there is no chance that a Truth-finder should recite the Pātimokkha to an impure assembly."
"There are these eight, monks, wonderful and marvellous phenomena in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean. What are the eight? The great ocean, monks, is progressively slanting, progressively sloping, progressively inclining, not abruptly precipitous. Since, monks, the great ocean is progressively slanting, progressively sloping, progressively inclining, not abruptly precipitous; this, monks, is the first wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean. Etc.
"Furthermore, monks, the great ocean is the residence of great beings. There are these beings - the timi, the timiṅgala, the timirapiṅgala, titans, serpents, and gandhabbas. There dwell in the great ocean bodies one hundred yojanas in size, etc. bodies five hundred yojanas in size. Since, monks, the great ocean is the residence of great beings; there are these beings - the timi, the timiṅgala, the timirapiṅgala, titans, serpents, and gandhabbas; there dwell in the great ocean bodies one hundred yojanas in size, etc. bodies five hundred yojanas in size; this, monks, is the eighth wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean. These, monks, are the eight wonderful and marvellous phenomena in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean.
"So too, monks, there are eight wonderful and marvellous phenomena in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline. What are the eight? Just as, monks, the great ocean is progressively slanting, progressively sloping, progressively inclining, not abruptly precipitous; so too, monks, in this Teaching and discipline there is gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice, not a sudden penetration of final knowledge. Since, monks, in this Teaching and discipline there is gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice, not a sudden penetration of final knowledge; this, monks, is the first wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline. Etc. Just as, monks, the great ocean is the residence of great beings; there are these beings - the timi, the timiṅgala, the timirapiṅgala, titans, serpents, and gandhabbas, there dwell in the great ocean bodies one hundred yojanas in size, etc. bodies five hundred yojanas in size; so too, monks, this Teaching and discipline is the residence of great beings. There are these beings - a stream-enterer, one practising for the realisation of the fruition of stream-entry, etc. a Worthy One, one practising for arahantship. Since, monks, this Teaching and discipline is the residence of great beings; there are these beings - a stream-enterer, one practising for the realisation of the fruition of stream-entry, etc. a Worthy One, one practising for arahantship; this, monks, is the eighth wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline. These, monks, are the eight wonderful and marvellous phenomena in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline." The tenth.