Vinaya Texts, Part I · 2 of 14

Nidâna

REVERENCE TO THE BLESSED ONE, THE HOLY ONE, THE FULLY ENLIGHTENED ONE.

May the Chapter, reverend Sirs, hear me!

To-day is the sacred day (of the full, or new, moon), the fifteenth day of the half-month. If it be convenient to the Chapter, let the Chapter hold Uposatha, let it repeat the Pâtimokkha. How is it with respect to the necessary preliminaries to a meeting of the Order? Let the reverend brethren announce their purity, and I will rehearse the Pâtimokkha! We all gladly give ear and do attend!

Whosoever have incurred a fault, let him declare it! If no fault have been incurred it is meet to keep silence!

Now, venerable Sirs, it is by your silence, that I shall know whether you are pure. As to each one question put there must be an answer, so, in such a meeting as this, each question is put as many as three times. Then if any Bhikkhu, when it has been three times put, knowingly omit to declare a fault incurred, he is guilty of uttering a conscious lie. Venerable Sirs, the uttering of a deliberate lie has been declared by the Blessed One to be a condition hurtful (to spiritual progress). Therefore a fault, if there be one, should be declared by that Bhikkhu who remembers it, and desires to be cleansed therefrom. For a fault, when declared, shall be light to him.

Venerable Sirs, the Introduction is now recited.

Thus do I question you, venerable Sirs, ‘Are you pure in this matter?’

A second time do I question you, ‘Are you pure in this matter?’

A third time do I question you, ‘Are you pure in this matter?’

The venerable ones are pure herein. Therefore do they keep silence. Thus I understand.

Here endeth the recitation of the Introduction.