[707] At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
Now at that time the group-of-six bhikkhus deliberately provoked anxiety (kukkucca) in the group-of-seventeen bhikkhus, saying: "Friends, a training rule has been laid down by the Blessed One: 'A person less than twenty years of age is not to be given full ordination (upasampadā).' And you were fully ordained while less than twenty years of age. Could it be that you are not fully ordained?" They wept.
The bhikkhus said this: "Friends, why are you weeping?"
"Friends, these group-of-six bhikkhus are deliberately provoking anxiety in us."
Those bhikkhus who were of few wishes … criticized, denounced, and spread it about: "How indeed can the group-of-six bhikkhus deliberately provoke anxiety in bhikkhus?" …
"Is it true, as they say, bhikkhus, that you deliberately provoke anxiety in bhikkhus?"
"It is true, Blessed One."
The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them: "How indeed can you, foolish men, deliberately provoke anxiety in bhikkhus? This, foolish men, is neither for the confidence of those without confidence, nor for the increase of those who have confidence …
"And thus, bhikkhus, you should recite this training rule:
"Should any bhikkhu deliberately provoke anxiety in a bhikkhu, thinking, 'Thus he will be uncomfortable even for a moment,' making just this the reason and no other, there is an offense entailing expiation (pācittiya)."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.