[225] Now it is the custom (āciṇṇa) for bhikkhus who have completed the rains residence (vassa) to approach the Blessed One to see him. So those bhikkhus, having completed the rains, at the end of the three months, put their lodging in order, took their bowls and robes, and set out for Sāvatthī. Travelling in due course, they arrived at Sāvatthī, at the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍika's park, and approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, they sat down to one side.
Now it is the custom for Buddhas, Blessed Ones, to exchange friendly greetings with incoming bhikkhus. Then the Blessed One said to those bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, we hope you are bearing up, we hope you are keeping going; we hope that, in concord, in mutual harmony, without dispute, you spent the rains comfortably, and that you did not go short of almsfood?"
"We are bearing up, Blessed One; we are keeping going, Blessed One. And we, venerable sir, in concord, in mutual harmony, without dispute, spent the rains comfortably, and we did not go short of almsfood."
Tathāgatas ask though they know, and though they know they do not ask; knowing the time, they ask, and knowing the time, they do not ask. Tathāgatas ask about what is connected with benefit, not about what is unconnected with benefit; with regard to what is unconnected with benefit, the bridge has been destroyed (setughāta) for the Tathāgatas. For two reasons Buddhas, Blessed Ones, question bhikkhus: [thinking,] "We shall teach the Dhamma," or "We shall lay down a training rule for the disciples."
Then the Blessed One said to those bhikkhus: "But in what way, bhikkhus, did you, in concord, in mutual harmony, without dispute, spend the rains comfortably, and not go short of almsfood?"
"Here, venerable sir, we, a number of bhikkhus, acquainted and companionable, entered upon the rains in a certain dwelling place in the Kosalan country. Then, venerable sir, it occurred to us: 'By what means might we, in concord, in mutual harmony, without dispute, spend the rains comfortably, and not go short of almsfood?' Then, venerable sir, it occurred to us: 'Suppose we were neither to address nor to converse with one another. Whoever returns first from the village from alms-round should prepare a seat; should set out water for the feet, a footstool, and a foot-wiper; should wash and set out the refuse bowl; should set out drinking water and water for use. Whoever returns last from the village from alms-round — if there is food left over from the meal and if he wishes, he may eat it; if he does not wish, he should discard it where there is no green growth, or drop it into water free of living creatures. He should put away the seat; should put away the water for the feet, the footstool, and the foot-wiper; should wash and put away the refuse bowl; should put away the drinking water and the water for use; should sweep the refectory. Whoever sees a drinking-water pot, or a pot of water for use, or a pot of water for the privy void and empty, should set it up [refilled]. If it is beyond his strength, he should summon a second by a gesture of the hand, and they should set it up by movements of the hands; but he should not on that account break into speech. In this way we might, in concord, in mutual harmony, without dispute, spend the rains comfortably, and not go short of almsfood.'
"Then, venerable sir, we neither addressed nor conversed with one another. Whoever returned first from the village from alms-round prepared a seat; set out water for the feet, a footstool, and a foot-wiper; washed and set out the refuse bowl; set out drinking water and water for use. Whoever returned last from the village from alms-round — if there was food left over from the meal and if he wished, he ate it; if he did not wish, he discarded it where there was no green growth, or dropped it into water free of living creatures. He put away the seat; put away the water for the feet, the footstool, and the foot-wiper; washed and put away the refuse bowl; put away the drinking water and the water for use; swept the refectory. Whoever saw a drinking-water pot, or a pot of water for use, or a pot of water for the privy void and empty, set it up [refilled]. If it was beyond his strength, he summoned a second by a gesture of the hand, and they set it up by movements of the hands; but he did not on that account break into speech. In this way, venerable sir, we, in concord, in mutual harmony, without dispute, spent the rains comfortably, and did not go short of almsfood."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.