Numbered Discourses 2.280–309

The Chapter of Abbreviated Texts on Monastic Law

“For two reasons the Realized One laid down training rules for his disciples.

What two? For the well-being and comfort of the Saṅgha … For keeping difficult persons in check and for the comfort of good-hearted bhikkhus … For restraining defilements that affect the present life and protecting against defilements that affect lives to come … For restraining threats to the present life and protecting against threats to lives to come … For restraining faults that affect the present life and protecting against faults that affect lives to come … For restraining hazards that affect the present life and protecting against hazards that affect lives to come … For restraining unskillful qualities that affect the present life and protecting against unskillful qualities that affect lives to come … Out of sympathy for laypeople and for breaking up factions of bhikkhus with corrupt wishes … For inspiring confidence in those without it, and increasing confidence in those who have it … For the continuation of the true teaching and the support of the training. These are the two reasons why the Realized One laid down training rules for his disciples.”

“For two reasons the Realized One laid down for his disciples the monastic code … the recitation of the monastic code … the suspension of the recitation of the monastic code … the invitation to admonish … the setting aside of the invitation to admonish … the disciplinary act of censure … placing under dependence … banishment … reconciliation … debarment … probation … being sent back to the beginning … penance … reinstatement … restoration … removal … ordination … an act with a motion … an act with a motion and one announcement … an act with a motion and three announcements … laying down what was not previously laid down … amending what was laid down … the settling of a disciplinary matter in the presence of those concerned … the settling of a disciplinary matter by accurate recollection … the settling of a disciplinary matter due to recovery from madness … the settling of a disciplinary matter due to the acknowledgement of the offense … the settling of a disciplinary matter by the decision of a majority … the settling of a disciplinary matter by a verdict of aggravated misconduct … the settling of a disciplinary matter by covering over with grass.

What two? For the well-being and comfort of the Saṅgha … For keeping difficult persons in check and for the comfort of good-hearted bhikkhus … For restraining defilements that affect the present life and protecting against defilements that affect lives to come … For restraining threats to the present life and protecting against threats to lives to come … For restraining faults that affect the present life and protecting against faults that affect lives to come … For restraining hazards that affect the present life and protecting against hazards that affect lives to come … For restraining unskillful qualities that affect the present life and protecting against unskillful qualities that affect lives to come … Out of sympathy for laypeople and for breaking up factions of bhikkhus with corrupt wishes … For inspiring confidence in those without it, and increasing confidence in those who have it … For the continuation of the true teaching and the support of the training.

These are the two reasons why the Realized One laid down the settlement of a disciplinary matter by covering over with grass for his disciples.”