Dighanikaya 1.1_41

1.1_41

Mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhinti ‘mahatā’ti guṇamahattenapi mahatā, saṅkhyāmahattenapi mahatā. So hi bhikkhusaṅgho guṇehipi mahā ahosi, appicchatādiguṇasamannāgatattā. Saṅkhyāyapi mahā, pañcasatasaṅkhyattā. Bhikkhūnaṃ saṅgho ‘bhikkhusaṅgho’, tena bhikkhusaṅghena. Diṭṭhisīlasāmaññasaṅghātasaṅkhātena samaṇagaṇenāti attho. Saddhinti ekato.

‘Together with a large community of monks’ (mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṃ): ‘with a large’ means large through greatness of qualities and large through greatness of number. For that community of monks was great in qualities, because it was endowed with qualities such as fewness of wishes. It was also great in number, because its count was five hundred. A community of monks is a ‘bhikkhusaṅgha’; with that community of monks. The meaning is: with the assembly of ascetics reckoned as a unity through commonality of view and morality. ‘Together with’ (saddhiṃ) means together.