[609] At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's Park (Ghositārāma). Now at that time the Venerable Channa was engaging in improper conduct. The bhikkhus said thus: "Friend Channa, do not act in such a way; that is not allowable." He spoke thus: "Friends, what indeed do you think — that I am one to be spoken to by you? It is rather I who should speak to you. The Buddha is ours; the Dhamma is ours; the Dhamma was realized by our young master. Just as a great wind, blowing, would heap together grass, sticks, and fallen leaves; or just as a mountain river would heap together shells, water-moss, and algae — even so you, of various names, of various clans, of various births, gone forth from various families, have been heaped together. What indeed do you think, friends — that I am one to be spoken to by you? It is rather I who should speak to you. The Buddha is ours; the Dhamma is ours; the Dhamma was realized by our young master."
Those bhikkhus who were of few wishes, contented, conscientious, scrupulous, and desirous of the training criticized, complained, and spread it about: "How indeed can the Venerable Channa, being legitimately spoken to by the bhikkhus, make himself one who cannot be spoken to?" Then those bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, in that connection, on that occasion, having had the Saṅgha of bhikkhus convened, questioned the Venerable Channa: "Is it true, as they say, Channa, that you, being legitimately spoken to by the bhikkhus, make yourself one who cannot be spoken to?" "It is true, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked him: "It is unbecoming, foolish man, … not to be done. How indeed can you, foolish man, being legitimately spoken to by the bhikkhus, make yourself one who cannot be spoken to? This, foolish man, is not for the arousing of faith in those without faith … And thus, bhikkhus, you should recite this training rule:
"Should a bhikkhu be by nature difficult to admonish and, being legitimately spoken to by the bhikkhus concerning the training rules included in the recitation, make himself one who cannot be spoken to, saying: 'Venerable ones, do not say anything to me, whether good or bad, and I too will not say anything to the venerable ones, whether good or bad; refrain, venerable ones, from speaking to me' — that bhikkhu should be spoken to thus by the bhikkhus: 'Let the venerable one not make himself one who cannot be spoken to; let the venerable one make himself one who can be spoken to. Let the venerable one also speak to the bhikkhus in accordance with the Dhamma, and the bhikkhus too will speak to the venerable one in accordance with the Dhamma; for it is thus that the Blessed One's assembly has grown, namely, by mutual admonition and by mutual rehabilitation.' And should that bhikkhu, being spoken to thus by the bhikkhus, persist just as before, that bhikkhu should be admonished (samanubhāsanā) by the bhikkhus up to the third time for the relinquishment of that course. If, being admonished up to the third time, he relinquishes it, that is good; if he does not relinquish it, it is an offense of saṅghādisesa."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.