1. Now at that time the venerable Upananda of the Sakya race, having spent the rainy season at Sâvatthi, went to take up his abode in a certain village. The Bhikkhus in that place assembled together with the object of dividing the robes. They said to him
'These robes, friend, which are the property of the Samgha, are about to be divided. Will you accept a share of them?'
'Yes, friends, I will,' said he; and taking his share, departed thence and took up his abode elsewhere.
[The same thing happened there, and] he departed thence and took up his abode elsewhere.
[The same thing happened there, and so] he returned to Sâvatthi with a great bundle of robes.
2. The Bhikkhus said to him: 'What a meritorious
238:1 There is a Sânavâsi who takes a prominent part at the Council of Vesâlî (Kullavagga XII, 1, 8; XII, 2, 4). He is probably meant to be considered the same as this one.
3. 'How then, friend Upananda, have you spent the rainy season in one place, and accepted a share of robes in another place?'
'Yes, friends, that is so.'
Those Bhikkhus who were moderate were indignant, murmured, and became annoyed, saying, 'How can the venerable Upananda spend the rainy season in one place, and accept a share of robes in another place?'
They told the matter to the Blessed One.
'Is it true, Upananda, as they say, that you have spent the rainy season in one place, and have accepted a share of robes in another place?'
'It is true, Lord.'
The Blessed Buddha rebuked him, saying, 'How can you, O foolish one, act so? This will not redound to the conversion of the unconverted, or to the increase of the converted!'
And after having rebuked him, and delivered a religious discourse, he addressed the Bhikkhus, saying, 'Whosoever, O Bhikkhus, has spent the rainy season in one place, is not to accept a share of the robes in another place. Whosoever does so shall be guilty of a dukkata.'
4. Now at that time the venerable Upananda of the Sakya race spent the rainy season alone in two residences, thinking thus to obtain many robes. And the Bhikkhus thought: 'How should his portion
239:1 Section 1 repeated, with the necessary change of person, &c.
