Dighanikaya 33.331

33.331

Niddasavatthūnīti niddasādivatthūni. Niddaso bhikkhu, nibbīso, nittiṃso, niccattālīso, nippaññāso bhikkhūti evaṃ vacanakāraṇāni. Ayaṃ kira pañho titthiyasamaye uppanno. Titthiyā hi dasavassakāle mataṃ nigaṇṭhaṃ niddasoti vadanti. So kira puna dasavasso na hoti. Na kevalañca dasavassova. Navavassopi…pe… ekavassopi na hoti. Eteneva nayena vīsativassādikālepi mataṃ nibbīso, nittiṃso, niccattālīso, nippaññāsoti vadanti. Āyasmā ānando gāme vicaranto taṃ kathaṃ sutvā vihāraṃ gantvā bhagavato ārocesi. Bhagavā āha –

“Grounds for being free of ten years” means grounds for being free of ten years and so on—grounds for the designations: “a monk free of ten years,” “free of twenty,” “free of thirty,” “free of forty,” “free of fifty.” This question, it is said, arose in the tradition of the sectarians. For sectarians say of a Jain who dies at the time of ten years [of ascetic life]: “He is free of ten years.” He, it is said, is not one of ten years again. And not only is he not of ten years, he is not even of nine years… and so on… not even of one year. In this very manner, when one dies at the time of twenty years and so on, they say: “He is free of twenty,” “free of thirty,” “free of forty,” “free of fifty.” The Venerable Ānanda, walking in the village, heard that talk, went to the monastery, and informed the Blessed One. The Blessed One said: