[92] Then the Venerable Upasena Vaṅgantaputta, together with his following, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Now it is the custom of Buddhas, Blessed Ones, to exchange friendly greetings with incoming bhikkhus. Then the Blessed One said this to the Venerable Upasena Vaṅgantaputta: "I hope, Upasena, that you are bearing up; I hope you are keeping going; I hope you have come along the road with little fatigue?"
"We are bearing up, Blessed One; we are keeping going, Blessed One; and we have come along the road, venerable sir, with little fatigue."
Now at that time a bhikkhu who was a co-resident pupil (saddhivihārika) of the Venerable Upasena Vaṅgantaputta was seated not far from the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One said this to that bhikkhu: "Bhikkhu, are rag-robes (paṃsukūla) agreeable to you?"
"Venerable sir, rag-robes are not agreeable to me."
"Then why, bhikkhu, are you a wearer of rag-robes?"
"My preceptor, venerable sir, is a wearer of rag-robes; thus I too am a wearer of rag-robes."
Then the Blessed One said this to the Venerable Upasena Vaṅgantaputta: "This assembly of yours, Upasena, is inspiring. How do you train your assembly, Upasena?"
"Venerable sir, whoever asks me for full ordination (upasampadā), I say to him: 'Friend, I am a forest-dweller, an almsfood-eater, a wearer of rag-robes. If you too will be a forest-dweller, an almsfood-eater, a wearer of rag-robes, then I will give you the full ordination.' If he consents to me, I ordain him; if he does not consent to me, I do not ordain him. Whoever asks me for dependence (nissaya), I say to him: 'Friend, I am a forest-dweller, an almsfood-eater, a wearer of rag-robes. If you too will be a forest-dweller, an almsfood-eater, a wearer of rag-robes, then I will give you dependence.' If he consents to me, I give dependence; if he does not consent to me, I do not give it. Thus, venerable sir, do I train my assembly."
"Good, good, Upasena! You train your assembly well, Upasena. But do you know, Upasena, the agreement (kaṭikā) of the Saṅgha at Sāvatthī?"
"Venerable sir, I do not know the agreement of the Saṅgha at Sāvatthī."
"At Sāvatthī, Upasena, an agreement has been made by the Saṅgha: 'Friends, the Blessed One wishes to dwell in seclusion for three months. The Blessed One is not to be approached by anyone except the single bhikkhu who brings out his almsfood. Whoever approaches the Blessed One is to be made to confess a pācittiya offense.'"
"Venerable sir, the Saṅgha at Sāvatthī will be known by its own agreement. We will not lay down what has not been laid down, nor will we abolish what has been laid down; we will undertake and conduct ourselves in the training rules as they have been laid down."
"Good, good, Upasena! What has not been laid down should not be laid down, nor should what has been laid down be abolished; one should undertake and conduct oneself in the training rules as they have been laid down. I allow, Upasena, that those bhikkhus who are forest-dwellers, almsfood-eaters, and wearers of rag-robes may approach to see me as they please."
Now at that time a number of bhikkhus were standing outside the gatehouse, thinking, "We shall make the Venerable Upasena Vaṅgantaputta confess a pācittiya offense." Then the Venerable Upasena Vaṅgantaputta, together with his following, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping his right side toward him, and departed. Then those bhikkhus said this to the Venerable Upasena Vaṅgantaputta: "Do you know, friend Upasena, the agreement of the Saṅgha at Sāvatthī?"
"Friends, the Blessed One also said this to me: 'But do you know, Upasena, the agreement of the Saṅgha at Sāvatthī?' 'Venerable sir, I do not know the agreement of the Saṅgha at Sāvatthī.' 'At Sāvatthī, Upasena, an agreement has been made by the Saṅgha: "Friends, the Blessed One wishes to dwell in seclusion for three months. The Blessed One is not to be approached by anyone except the single bhikkhu who brings out his almsfood. Whoever approaches the Blessed One is to be made to confess a pācittiya offense."' 'Venerable sir, the Saṅgha at Sāvatthī will be known by its own agreement. We will not lay down what has not been laid down, nor will we abolish what has been laid down; we will undertake and conduct ourselves in the training rules as they have been laid down.' And it has been allowed by the Blessed One, friends: 'Let those bhikkhus who are forest-dwellers, almsfood-eaters, and wearers of rag-robes approach to see me as they please.'"
Then those bhikkhus [said]: "What the Venerable Upasena Vaṅgantaputta says is true: what has not been laid down should not be laid down, nor should what has been laid down be abolished; one should undertake and conduct oneself in the training rules as they have been laid down."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.