Dighanikaya 0: Ganthārambhakathā

Homage to the Blessed One, the arahant, the fully awakened Buddha.

Whose heart is cooled by compassion, who dispels the darkness of delusion with the lamp of wisdom, / the teacher of the world of mortals and immortals: I revere the Well-Farer, liberated from rebirth.

Having developed and realized the state of Buddhahood, the Buddha reached that stainless state; / I revere that unsurpassed Dhamma.

The breast-born sons of the Well-Farer, crushers of Māra's host, / the assembly of eight: I revere the noble Saṅgha with bowed head.

Thus, by the merit born of revering the Three Jewels for me of devoted mind, / having had all obstacles thoroughly dispelled through its power,

Of the Long [Collection], marked by long discourses, subtle, the excellent collection, / praised by Buddhas and following Buddhas, possessing virtues bringing faith:

For the purpose of explaining its meaning, the commentary that from the beginning by five hundred masters / was recited, and subsequently recited again;

Then brought to the Island of Sīhaḷa by the master Mahāmahinda, / and established in the Sinhala language for the benefit of the island's inhabitants;

Removing from it the Sinhala language, rendering it into the delightful language / suitable for the scriptural method, free from flaws;

Not contradicting the doctrine of the elders, lamps of the lineage of elders, / of subtle judgment, dwelling in the Mahāvihāra;

Discarding what is repeated again and again, I shall explain the meaning / for the joy of good people and for the long endurance of the Dhamma.

Discourse on morality, ascetic practices, all meditation subjects, / together with the procedure of conduct, the details of the absorptions and attainments,

All the direct knowledges, the determination synthesizing wisdom, / aggregates, elements, sense bases, faculties, and the four Noble

Truths, the teaching on the modes of conditionality, of very pure and subtle method, / not departing from the scriptural path, insight and development:

Since all this has been stated very purely by me in the Path of Purification, / I will therefore not examine it in detail further here.

"Standing in the midst of the four collections, this Path of Purification / will illuminate the meaning as spoken there;"

Having been made just so, therefore taking it together with this / commentary, understand the meaning belonging to the Long Collection.

Introductory Narrative

Herein, as for what is called the Long Collection, by division it is threefold: the Division on Morality, the Great Division, and the Pāthika Division; by discourse, it is a compilation of thirty-four discourses. Among its divisions, the Division on Morality is first; among its discourses, the Brahmajāla. And of the Brahmajāla, the introductory narrative beginning with “Thus have I heard,” spoken by the venerable Ānanda at the time of the First Great Council, is the beginning.

Account of the First Great Council

Now, although this First Great Council was incorporated into the text in the Basket of the Vinaya, for skill in the introductory narrative it should also be understood here as follows: Starting with the Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma down to the training of the wanderer Subhadda, the Buddha's work was accomplished. In Kusinārā, in the Upavattana sal-grove of the Mallas, between the twin sal trees, on the full moon day of Visākha at dawn, when the Blessed One, the Lord of the World, had attained final passing in the element of Nibbāna without remainder, on the day of the division of the Blessed One's relics, the elder of the assembly, the venerable Mahākassapa, among seven hundred thousand monks assembled, remembered the words spoken by Subhadda, who had gone forth in his old age, seven days after the Blessed One had attained final passing: “Enough, friends, do not grieve, do not lament; we are well freed from that great recluse, and we were harassed with ‘This is allowable for you, this is not allowable for you’; but now we shall do whatever we want, and we shall not do whatever we do not want.” Considering that such an assembly of the Saṅgha would be difficult to obtain again, [he thought]: “It is possible that bad monks, thinking, ‘The word of the teacher has passed away,’ might gain a following and before long cause the True Dhamma to disappear. As long as the Dhamma and Vinaya remain, the word of the teacher has not passed away. For this was spoken by the Blessed One:

‘Whatever Dhamma and Vinaya has been taught and laid down by me for you, Ānanda, that shall be your Teacher after my passing.’

‘What if I were to recite the Dhamma and Vinaya, so that this Dispensation may last long and endure for a long time?’

And [he thought]: ‘I was favored by the Blessed One through the shared use of robes, having said:

“Will you wear, Kassapa, my hempen rag-robes that have been worn out?”

And: “Monks, as much as I wish, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I enter and dwell in the first absorption, which is accompanied by thought and examination, with joy and pleasure born of seclusion; Kassapa too, monks, as much as he wishes, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first absorption, which is accompanied by thought and examination, with joy and pleasure born of seclusion.”

By such methods, being favored by being placed on an equal footing with himself in the states of superior human beings comprising the nine successive abidings and the six direct knowledges; likewise, praised for having an unattached mind like moving a hand in space, and for the practice comparable to the moon—what other freedom from debt to him could there be? Did not the Blessed One, like a king bestowing his own armor and sovereignty on his son who establishes his family line, thinking, “This one will be the establisher of the lineage of the True Dhamma for me,” favor me with this extraordinary favor, and praise me with this lofty praise?’ Reflecting thus, he aroused the zeal of the monks for reciting the Dhamma and Vinaya. As he said:

"Then Venerable Mahākassapa addressed the bhikkhus: 'Once, friends, as I was traveling along the highway from Pāvā to Kusinārā with a large Saṅgha of bhikkhus, about five hundred bhikkhus...'"—the entire section on Subhadda is to be understood in detail. But we will explain its meaning right in the place where it occurs at the end of the Mahāparinibbāna [Sutta].

After that, he said:

"Come, friends, let us recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya before what is non-Dhamma shines out and Dhamma is held back; before what is non-Vinaya shines out and Vinaya is held back; before proponents of non-Dhamma become strong and proponents of Dhamma become weak; before proponents of non-Vinaya become strong and proponents of Vinaya become weak."

The bhikkhus said, "Well then, venerable sir, let the Elder select bhikkhus." Then the Elder, setting aside many hundreds and many thousands of ordinary persons, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, dry-insight practitioners, and cankerless bhikkhus who had mastered the entire ninefold Dispensation of the Teacher, selected four hundred and ninety-nine cankerless bhikkhus alone—those who had mastered all divisions of the learning of the Tipiṭaka, had attained analytical knowledge, were of great spiritual power, had mostly been designated foremost by the Blessed One, and were endowed with the three knowledges and the like. Concerning them, it was said: "Then Venerable Mahākassapa selected five hundred arahants minus one."

Why then did the Elder leave it one short? In order to make room for Venerable Ānanda Thera. For without that venerable one, as well as with him, it was not possible to hold the Dhamma recitation. For that venerable one was a trainee with duties still to be done; therefore, it was not possible [to hold it] with him. However, because there was nothing among the discourses, songs, and the rest taught by the Ten-Powered One that was not directly known to him. As he said:

"Eighty-two thousand [teachings] I received from the Buddha, two thousand from the bhikkhus;
Eighty-four thousand teachings are those that proceed in me."

Therefore, it was not possible without him either.

If so, although being a trainee, since he was of great help to the Dhamma recitation, he should have been selected by the Elder. Why then was he not selected? Because of avoiding blame from others. For the Elder was exceedingly familiar with Venerable Ānanda; so much so that even when gray hairs had grown on his head, he admonished him with the word 'boy': "Does this boy not know moderation?" And that venerable one, born of the Sakyan clan, was a brother and cousin of the Tathāgata. In that regard, some bhikkhus, suspecting favoritism, might have blamed him, saying: "Setting aside many bhikkhus who are beyond training and have attained analytical knowledge, the Elder selected Ānanda who is a trainee who has attained analytical knowledge." Avoiding that blame from others, thinking, 'Without Ānanda it is not possible to hold the Dhamma recitation; I will include him only by the consent of the bhikkhus,' he did not select him.

Then the bhikkhus themselves begged the Elder for Ānanda's sake. As it is said:

"The bhikkhus said to Venerable Mahākassapa: 'Venerable sir, this Venerable Ānanda, although still a trainee, is incapable of going astray through desire, hatred, delusion, or fear; and much Dhamma and Vinaya has been mastered by him in the presence of the Blessed One. Well then, venerable sir, let the Elder select Venerable Ānanda as well.' Then Venerable Mahākassapa selected Venerable Ānanda as well."

Thus, together with that venerable one who was selected with the consent of the bhikkhus, there were five hundred elders.

Then it occurred to the elder bhikkhus: "Where now should we recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya?" Then it occurred to the elder bhikkhus: "Rājagaha has a large alms-gathering area and abundant lodgings. What if we, spending the rains in Rājagaha, were to recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya, and no other bhikkhus should take up residence for the rains in Rājagaha?"

Why then did this occur to them? [Because they thought:] "This is a permanent work of ours; let no incompatible individual enter the midst of the Saṅgha and disrupt it." Then Venerable Mahākassapa announced it by a formal act with a motion as the second:

"Let the Saṅgha hear me, friends. If it is suitable for the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha should authorize these five hundred bhikkhus, spending the rains in Rājagaha, to recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya, and no other bhikkhus are to spend the rains in Rājagaha. This is the motion.

"Let the Saṅgha hear me, friends. The Saṅgha authorizes these five hundred bhikkhus, spending the rains in Rājagaha, to recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya, and no other bhikkhus are to spend the rains in Rājagaha. The authorization of these five hundred bhikkhus spending the rains in Rājagaha to recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya, and that no other bhikkhus are to spend the rains in Rājagaha, is pleasing to whichever venerable one [agrees], let him be silent; to whomever it is not pleasing, let him speak.

"These five hundred bhikkhus have been authorized by the Saṅgha, spending the rains in Rājagaha, to recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya, and no other bhikkhus are to spend the rains in Rājagaha. It is pleasing to the Saṅgha, therefore it is silent; thus do I hold it."

This formal motion, however, was performed on the twenty-first day after the Tathāgata's final passing. For the Blessed One attained final passing at dawn on the full-moon day of Visākha; then, for seven days, they honored his golden-hued body with perfumes, garlands, and the like. Thus, there were seven days called the 'days of joyous festival'. After that, for seven days it burned with fire on the funeral pyre; then, making a cage of spears, for seven days they performed the honor of the relics in the council hall—thus twenty-one days passed. On the very fifth day of the waxing fortnight of Jeṭṭhamūla, they distributed the relics. On that day of relic distribution, after reporting to the gathered great Saṅgha of monks the misbehavior committed by Subhadda, who had gone forth in old age, and selecting the monks in the manner described, this formal motion was performed.

And having performed this formal motion, the Elder addressed the monks: 'Venerables, an opportunity of forty days is now granted to you. Beyond that, it will not be allowable to say, "We have such-and-such an impediment." Therefore, in the meantime, whoever has the impediment of sickness, or the impediment of a teacher or preceptor, or the impediment of mother and father, or if a bowl needs to be fired, or a robe needs to be made, let him sever that impediment and do what needs to be done.'

And having spoken thus, the Elder, surrounded by his retinue of five hundred, went to Rājagaha. Other elder monks as well, taking their respective retinues, set out in various directions, wishing to console the multitudes pierced by the dart of grief. Puṇṇa Thera, however, with a retinue of seven hundred monks, remained right there in Kusinārā, thinking: 'I will console the multitudes who come again and again to the place of the Tathāgata's final passing.'

Venerable Ānanda, just as when the Blessed One had not yet attained final passing, so too now that he had attained final passing, taking the Blessed One's bowl and robe himself, set out on wandering toward Sāvatthī together with five hundred monks. But as he went along, the monks in his retinue went beyond count. Wherever that venerable one went, there was great weeping and wailing. When the Elder in due course arrived at Sāvatthī, the people residing in Sāvatthī heard, 'The Elder, it is said, has arrived!' and went out to meet him with perfumes, garlands, and the like in their hands, weeping and saying: 'Venerable Ānanda, formerly you used to come with the Blessed One; today, leaving the Blessed One behind, where have you come from?' and so forth. There was great weeping and wailing, just like on the day of the Buddha's, the Blessed One's, final passing.

There indeed, Venerable Ānanda, having calmed that multitude with a Dhamma talk connected with impermanence and the like, entered the Jetavana, paid homage to the perfumed chamber where the Ten-Powered One had dwelt, opened the door, brought out the couch and chair, dusted them, swept the perfumed chamber, threw out the faded flowers and rubbish, brought back the couch and chair, replaced them in their proper place, and carried out every duty that was to be done in the time the Blessed One was present. And while carrying them out, at the times of sweeping the bathhouse, setting out water, and so forth, he paid homage to the perfumed chamber and, lamenting in such ways as, 'Ah, Blessed One, is this not your bathing time? Is this not your time for teaching Dhamma? Is this not your time for giving admonition to the monks? Is this not your time for taking the lion's posture? Is this not your time for washing the face?' he did so—as was natural for one whose love was established through knowing the immortal flavor of the Blessed One's host of virtues, one who was not yet free from cankers, and one whose gentleness of mind had been produced through mutual aid across many hundreds of thousands of rebirths. Then a certain deity stirred him with urgency, saying: 'Venerable Ānanda, while you yourself are lamenting like this, how will you console others?' His heart stirred with urgency by her words, he composed himself, and in order to relieve his body, in which the bodily humors had become disturbed because of much standing and sitting since the Tathāgata's final passing, on the next day he drank a milk purgative and sat right in the monastery. In reference to this, he said this to the youth sent by the young man Subha:

'It is the wrong time, young man. Today I have taken a dose of medicine. Perhaps we might go even tomorrow.'

On the next day, having gone with Cetaka Thera as his attendant monk, questioned by the young man Subha, he spoke the tenth discourse in this Dīghanikāya, named the Subhasutta.

Then Ānanda Thera, having had repairs of broken and dilapidated parts carried out in the great monastery of the Jetavana, left the Saṅgha of monks as the entry upon the rains drew near and went to Rājagaha, as did the other monks who were council reciters. And when they had gone thus, it was said in reference to them: 'Then the elder monks went to Rājagaha to recite the Dhamma and Vinaya.' Having observed the Uposatha on the full-moon day of Āsāḷha, they assembled on the day after the full moon and entered upon the rains.

At that time, moreover, there were eighteen great monasteries surrounding Rājagaha, all of which were abandoned, dilapidated, and dirty. For upon the Blessed One's final passing, all the monks took their respective bowls and robes and left, abandoning the monasteries and dwellings. There the elders, making an agreement, thought in order to honor the Blessed One's word and to avoid the criticisms of the sectarians: 'For the first month, let us carry out repairs of broken and dilapidated parts.' For the sectarians might say: 'The disciples of the ascetic Gotama looked after the monasteries only while their Teacher was present; when he attained final passing, they abandoned them; the great expenditure of wealth by respectable families is being destroyed.' Thus it is said that they thought [of this] in order to avoid their criticisms. Having thought thus, they made an agreement. In reference to which it was said:

"Then, indeed, it occurred to the elder monks: 'Friends, the repair of broken and dilapidated [parts] has been praised by the Blessed One. Come, friends, let us carry out the repair of broken and dilapidated [parts] in the first month; having assembled in the middle month, we shall recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya.'"

On the second day they went and stood at the royal gate. The king approached, paid homage, and asked about his duty: "Venerable sirs, why have you come?" The elders informed him of the manual labour needed to restore the eighteen great monasteries. The king provided men to perform the manual labour. Having had all the monasteries restored during the first month, the elders informed the king: "Great king, the restoration of the monasteries is completed; now we shall hold the compilation of the Dhamma and the Vinaya." "Good, venerable sirs, carry it out with confidence! Let mine be the wheel of authority, and yours the wheel of the Dhamma. Command me, venerable sirs: what shall I do?" "A place for sitting together for the monks who are holding the council, great king." "Where shall I make it, venerable sirs?" "Great king, it is fitting to make it on the side of Mount Vebhāra, at the entrance to the Sattapaṇṇi Cave." "Good, venerable sirs," said King Ajātasattu. He had a pavilion built as though created by Vissakamma, with well-proportioned walls, pillars, and stairs; adorned with various floral and creeper motifs; surpassing, as it were, the magnificence of a royal palace; mocking, as it were, the splendor of a celestial mansion; a dwelling place, as it were, of Fortune and a single landing place for the birds of the eyes of gods and humans; an aggregate, as it were, of the world’s loveliness, a core of beauty to behold. He decorated it like a Brahmā-mansion, with an exquisite ceiling hung with garlands of various flowers, and with a floor like mosaic paving adorned with various gems, having finely completed plasterwork decorated with offerings of varied flowers. There in that great pavilion, he arranged five hundred priceless proper rugs for the five hundred monks. Near the southern side, facing north, he set up the elder’s seat; in the middle of the pavilion, facing east, he set up the Dhamma seat worthy of the Buddha, the Blessed One; and having placed an ivory fan there, he had it announced to the Saṅgha of monks: "Venerable sirs, my work is completed."

On that day, some monks said concerning the Venerable Ānanda: "In this Saṅgha of monks, one monk wanders about giving off an odor of raw meat." Hearing that, the elder experienced a sense of urgency, thinking: "In this Saṅgha of monks there is certainly no other monk wandering about giving off an odor of raw meat. Surely they are speaking concerning me." Some even said to him: "Tomorrow, friend Ānanda, is the assembly, and you are a trainee, one with work left to do; therefore it is not fitting for you to go to the assembly. Be heedful!"

Then the Venerable Ānanda thought: "Tomorrow is the assembly; it is not fitting for me to go to the assembly while remaining a trainee." Having spent much of the night in mindfulness directed to the body, at dawn he descended from the walkway, entered his dwelling, and bent his body, thinking, "I will lie down." His two feet were off the ground and his head had not yet reached the pillow—in this interval, his mind was liberated from the effluents without clinging. For this venerable one, having spent [the night] outside on the walkway, had been unable to generate the distinction, and thought: "Did not the Blessed One tell me this: 'Ānanda, you have made merit; apply yourself to striving; soon you will be free of effluents'? And there is no fault in the speech of the Buddhas, but my energy is too aroused; because of that my mind tends toward restlessness. Come, let me adjust the balance of my energy." Having descended from the walkway, he stood at the foot-washing place, washed his feet, entered the dwelling, sat down on the couch, and bent his body onto the couch, thinking, "I will rest a little." His two feet were off the ground, his head had not yet reached the pillow—in this interval, his mind was liberated from the effluents without clinging. The elder’s arahantship was free of the four postures. Therefore, when it is said, "Which monk in this Dispensation attained arahantship neither lying down, nor sitting, nor standing, nor walking?" it is fitting to say, "The elder Ānanda."

Then, on the second day, the fifth of the dark fortnight, the elder monks, having finished their meal duties and put away their bowls and robes, assembled in the Dhamma hall. Then the Venerable Ānanda, being an arahant, went to the assembly. How did he go? With a joyful, delighted mind, thinking, "Now I am worthy to enter the midst of the assembly," he arranged his robe over one shoulder and went as if announcing his attainment of arahantship by means of his exceedingly pure, spotless, radiant, and magnificent face—like a ripe palmyra fruit freed from its stem, like a genuine gem placed on a yellow woolen cloth, like the full moon arisen in a cloudless sky, and like a lotus whose interior is yellowed with pollen blossomed by the touch of the morning sun. Then, seeing him, it occurred to the Venerable Mahākassapa: "Ānanda, having attained arahantship, truly shines! If the Teacher were living, he would surely give Ānanda his approval today. Come, let me now give him the approval that should have been given by the Teacher." And he gave his approval three times.

The reciters of the Majjhima, however, say: “Ānanda Thera, wishing to make known his attainment of arahantship, did not arrive with the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus, sitting down on their respective seats according to seniority, sat having left a seat for Ānanda Thera. There some said: ‘For whom is this seat?’ ‘For Ānanda.’ ‘Where, then, has Ānanda gone?’ At that moment the elder thought: ‘Now it is time for me to go.’ Then, demonstrating his supernormal power, he submerged into the earth and manifested himself right on his own seat”; others say that he went through the air and sat down. Be that as it may. In every way, seeing him, the giving of approval by Venerable Mahākassapa was entirely proper.

When that venerable one had arrived in this manner, Mahākassapa Thera addressed the bhikkhus: “Reverend sirs, what shall we rehearse first—the Dhamma or the Vinaya?” The bhikkhus said: “Venerable Mahākassapa, the Vinaya is the life of the Dispensation of the Buddha. When the Vinaya stands firm, the Dispensation stands firm. Therefore let us rehearse the Vinaya first.” “Making whom the leader?” “The Venerable Upāli.” “Is Ānanda not capable?” “It is not that he is not capable. But while still living, the fully awakened Buddha, on account of mastery of the Vinaya, placed the Venerable Upāli in the foremost position: ‘This is the foremost, bhikkhus, of my disciples among the bhikkhus who are Vinaya-bearers, namely Upāli.’ Therefore, having questioned Upāli Thera, let us rehearse the Vinaya.”

Then the elder appointed himself to question the Vinaya. Upāli Thera also appointed himself to answer. Here is this canonical passage: Then the Venerable Mahākassapa informed the Saṅgha:

“Let the Saṅgha hear me, reverend sirs. If it seems fit to the Saṅgha,
I would question Upāli on the Vinaya.”

The Venerable Upāli also informed the Saṅgha:

“Let the Saṅgha hear me, venerable sirs. If it seems fit to the Saṅgha,
questioned on the Vinaya by the Venerable Mahākassapa, I would answer.”

Having thus appointed himself, the Venerable Upāli, rising from his seat and arranging his robe over one shoulder, paid homage to the senior bhikkhus, sat down on the Dhamma seat holding an ivory-inlaid fan, and then Mahākassapa Thera, sitting on the elder's seat, questioned the Venerable Upāli on the Vinaya: “Reverend Upāli, where was the first pārājika laid down?” “In Vesālī, venerable sir.” “Concerning whom?” “Concerning Sudinna, the son of Kalanda.” “On what subject?” “On sexual intercourse.”

“Then the Venerable Mahākassapa questioned the Venerable Upāli on the subject of the first pārājika, questioned him on the origin story, questioned him on the person, questioned him on the rule, questioned him on the supplementary rule, questioned him on the offense, and questioned him on non-offense.” Questioned and questioned, the Venerable Upāli answered.

Now, here in the first pārājika, was there anything to be removed or to be added? There was nothing to be removed. For in what was spoken by the Buddha, the Blessed One, there is nothing to be removed. Indeed, the Tathāgatas do not utter even a single syllable in vain. But in what was spoken by disciples or by deities there is something to be removed, and that the elders who were the council reciters removed. But additions were [needed] everywhere; therefore, whatever was fitting to add in any place, that they certainly added. What was that? Merely connecting words, such as ‘at that time,’ ‘at that time, however,’ ‘then,’ ‘when this was said,’ ‘he said this,’ and so forth. Having thus added what was fitting to be added, they established: ‘This is the first pārājika.’ When the first pārājika had been incorporated into the council, the five hundred arahants conducted a communal recitation according to the manner in which it had been incorporated: ‘At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling in Verañjā.’ Just when they began the recitation, the great earth, bounded by water, trembled as if giving approval.

In this very way, having incorporated the remaining three pārājikas into the council, they established: ‘This is the Pārājika Section.’ The thirteen saṅghādisesas they established as the ‘Group of Thirteen.’ Two training rules they established as the ‘Undetermined.’ Thirty training rules they established as the ‘Expiation with Forfeiture.’ Ninety-two training rules they established as the ‘Expiation.’ Four training rules they established as ‘Confession.’ Seventy-five training rules they established as ‘Rules of Training.’ Seven dhammas they established as the ‘Settlement of Issues.’ Thus, having proclaimed two hundred and twenty-seven training rules, they established them as the ‘Great Analysis.’ At the conclusion of the Great Analysis as well, the great earth trembled in the manner mentioned before.

Then, in the Analysis of the Bhikkhunīs, they established eight training rules as ‘This is the Pārājika Section.’ Seventeen training rules they established as the ‘Group of Seventeen.’ Thirty training rules they established as the ‘Expiation with Forfeiture.’ One hundred and sixty-six training rules they established as the ‘Expiation.’ Eight training rules they established as ‘Confession.’ Seventy-five training rules they established as ‘Rules of Training.’ Seven dhammas they established as the ‘Settlement of Issues.’ Thus, having proclaimed three hundred and four training rules as the ‘Analysis of the Bhikkhunīs,’ they established: ‘This is called the Twofold Analysis, consisting of sixty-four recitation sections.’ At the conclusion of the Twofold Analysis as well, in the manner stated, there was an earthquake.

By this same method, having rehearsed the Khandhaka, which measures eighty recitation sections, and the Parivāra, which measures twenty-five recitation sections, they established: ‘This is called the Basket of the Vinaya.’ At the conclusion of the Basket of the Vinaya as well, the great earth shook in the very manner described. They entrusted it to the Venerable Upāli, saying: ‘Friend, teach this to your pupils.’ At the conclusion of the rehearsal of the Basket of the Vinaya, the Elder Upāli put down the ivory-inlaid fan, descended from the Dhamma seat, paid homage to the senior monks, and sat down in the seat that was his.