尼羯磨 3.111

3.111

At that time the World-Honoured One was in Bhaggā, in the town of [Susumāragiri], and addressed the bhikṣus: "I shall expound four great authorities. Listen well, and I will explain them to you." The bhikṣus said: "Venerable! We wish to hear it." "What are the four? If a bhikṣu speaks thus: 'Elders! In such-and-such a village or such-and-such a city, I personally heard and received this from the Buddha: this is the Dharma, this is the vinaya, this is the Buddha's teaching.' If one hears what that bhikṣu says, one should not immediately give rise to doubt, nor should one scold him; having examined the phrasing and sentences, one should investigate the sūtras, the vinaya, and verify them against the Dharma and vinaya. When listening to what that bhikṣu says, if upon investigating the sūtras, the vinaya, and verifying them against the Dharma and vinaya, they do not correspond with the sūtras, the vinaya, and the Dharma and vinaya, but run contrary to the Dharma, one should say to that bhikṣu: 'What you say was not spoken by the Buddha; or perhaps you, elder, did not accurately grasp the Buddha's words. Why is that? When I investigate the sūtras, the vinaya, and the Dharma and vinaya, it does not correspond with the sūtras, the vinaya, and the Dharma and vinaya, but runs contrary to the Dharma. Elder! You must not recite and practice it, nor should you teach it to other bhikṣus; you must now discard it.' If, upon hearing what that bhikṣu says, investigating the sūtras, the vinaya, and the Dharma and vinaya, it corresponds with the sūtras, the vinaya, and the Dharma and vinaya, one should say to that bhikṣu: 'What you, elder, have spoken was spoken by the Buddha, and you have accurately grasped the Buddha's words. Why is that? When I investigate the sūtras, the vinaya, and the Dharma and vinaya, it corresponds with them and does not run contrary. Elder! You should uphold, recite, and practice it well, teach it to other bhikṣus, and not let it be forgotten.' This is the first great authority. Furthermore, if a bhikṣu speaks thus: 'Elders! In such-and-such a village or such-and-such a city, I heard this before the elders in the harmonious saṃgha: this is the Dharma, this is the vinaya, this is the Buddha's teaching.' When hearing what that bhikṣu says, one should not doubt, nor should one scold him; one should examine the phrasing and sentences, investigate the sūtras and the vinaya, and verify them against the Dharma and vinaya. If, upon hearing what that bhikṣu says and investigating the sūtras, the vinaya, and the Dharma and vinaya, it does not correspond with them, but runs contrary to the Dharma, one should say to that bhikṣu: 'Elder! This was not spoken by the Buddha; that saṃgha and the elders did not accurately grasp the Buddha's words, and you, elder, likewise did not. Why is that? When I investigate the sūtras, the vinaya, and the Dharma and vinaya, it does not correspond with them, but runs contrary to the Dharma. Elder, you must not recite and practice it, nor teach it to other bhikṣus; you should now discard it.' If, hearing that bhikṣu's words, one investigates the sūtras, the vinaya, and the Dharma and vinaya, and it corresponds with them without running contrary to the Dharma, one should say to that bhikṣu: 'Elder! It was spoken by the Buddha; that saṃgha, the elders, and you, elder, also accurately grasped the Buddha's words. Why is that? When I investigate the sūtras, the vinaya, and the Dharma and vinaya, it corresponds with them and does not run contrary. Elder! You should uphold, recite, and practice it well, and also teach it to other people, not letting it be forgotten.' This is the second great authority. (Next, the third clause, heard from many bhikṣus who know the Dharma, the vinaya, and the mātṛkā, is also like this. The fourth clause, heard from a single bhikṣu who knows the Dharma, the vinaya, and the mātṛkā, is also like this.) These are the four great authorities." When the Buddha spoke thus, the bhikṣus rejoiced, faithfully accepted, and upheld it.