Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c19.s10: Vassāvāsa
Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c19.s10
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Vassāvāsa
v1.c19.s10.1
The observance of *vassāvāsa* came into vogue among the Buddhist monks at an early date. To avoid the inconvenience of travelling in the rains and the chance of injuring sprouts and insects, it was enjoined that the bhikkhus should stay at one place (*āvāsa*) during three months of the rains, commencing from the day next to the fullmoon of *Āṣādha* (June-July) or *Śrāvaṇa* (July-August). In cases of urgent calls only for the benefit of the *Sangha* or of the lay-devotees or sick persons, or for some particular business of the *Sangha*, the bhikkhus were allowed to leave the *āvāsa* for seven days only.³ There was however no bar to bhikkhus leaving the *āvāsa*⁴ if there be danger to life through beasts of prey, snakes, robbers, or if the residence be destroyed by fire or water, or if there be great scarcity of food or medicine, or lack of lay-devotees, or any chance of *sīlavipatti* or *saṅghabheda*.
v1.c19.s10.2
³ For *Sattāhakaraṇīya*, see *Mv.*, iii, 5 ff.
v1.c19.s10.3
⁴ For *anāpatti vassacchedassa*, see *Mv.*, iii, 9 ff.
v1.c19.s10.4
The bhikkhus could take up *vassāvāsa* with a moving caravan, ship or cattle-pen but not in the hollow of a tree, in the open air or under a sun-shade.⁵
v1.c19.s10.5
⁵ *Mv.*, iii, 12.
v1.c19.s10.6
In the selection of the residence during *vassa* the monks were recommended to stay in those places where the number of laydevotees was large but a monk who had given previously his word to a lay-devotee must keep it.¹
v1.c19.s10.7
¹ Mv., iii, 13.
Linked texts (1)
- Mahāvagga — Pāli