Vinaya Texts

SR No.: 007684
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T W Rhys Davids, Hermann Oldenberg
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1881
Total Pages: 2523
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 47 MB

Page 343

300
MAHÂVAGGA.
III, 3, 1.
full moon of Âsâlha (June-July); the later, a month after the full moon of Âsâlhal. These, O Bhikkhus, are the two periods for entering upon Vassa.'
3.
1. At that time the Khabbaggiya Bhikkhus, having entered upon Vassa, went on their travels during the period of Vassa. People were annoyed, murmured, and became angry (saying), “How can the Sakyaputtiya Samanas go on their travels alike during winter, summer, and the rainy season, .... (&c., as in chap. I. 2, down to :) and destroy the life of many small living things?'
2. Now some Bhikkhus heard those people that were annoyed, murmured, and had become angry. The moderate Bhikkhus were annoyed, murmured, and became angry (saying), “How can the Khabbaggiya Bhikkhus, having entered upon Vassa, go on their travels during the period of Vassa?'
These Bhikkhus told this thing to the Blessed One.
1 Very probably this double period stands in connection with the double period prescribed in the Brahmanas and Sätras for most of the Vedic festivals. Thus the sacrifice of the varunapraghâsâs, with which the Brahmans began the rainy season, was to be held either on the full moon day of  shâdha or on the full moon day of the following month, Srâvana, quite in accordance with the Buddhistical rules about the vassupanâyikâ. The Brâhmana texts begin the year with the full moon day of the (uttarâ) Phâlgunî; the Sûtras mention, besides the Phâlguni, another new-year's day, the Kaitrî paurnamâsî, which falls one month later. It was in connection with this dislocation of the beginning of the year that the annual festivals could be postponed accordingly. See Weber, Die vedischen Nachrichten von den Naxatra, II, p. 329 seq.
Digitized by Google
Digitized by