[165] Now at that time the Venerable Upananda the Sakyan, having completed the rains residence (vassa) at Sāvatthī, went to a certain village monastery. There the bhikkhus, wishing to distribute robe-cloth, assembled. They said thus: "Friend, these robes belonging to the Saṅgha will be distributed. Will you consent to a share?" "Yes, friends, I will consent." Having received a share of robe-cloth from there, he went to another monastery. There too the bhikkhus, wishing to distribute robe-cloth, assembled. They too said thus: "Friend, these robes belonging to the Saṅgha will be distributed. Will you consent to a share?" "Yes, friends, I will consent." Having received a share of robe-cloth from there also, he went to yet another monastery. There too the bhikkhus, wishing to distribute robe-cloth, assembled. They too said thus: "Friend, these robes belonging to the Saṅgha will be distributed. Will you consent to a share?" "Yes, friends, I will consent." Having received a share of robe-cloth from there also, and taking a great bundle of robe-cloth, he returned once more to Sāvatthī.
The bhikkhus said thus: "You are one of great merit, friend Upananda; much robe-cloth has accrued to you."
"Whence any merit of mine, friends? Here I, having completed the rains residence at Sāvatthī, went to a certain village monastery. There the bhikkhus, wishing to distribute robe-cloth, assembled. They said to me thus: 'Friend, these robes belonging to the Saṅgha will be distributed. Will you consent to a share?' 'Yes, friends, I will consent.' Having received a share of robe-cloth from there, I went to another monastery. There too the bhikkhus, wishing to distribute robe-cloth, assembled. They too said to me thus: 'Friend, these robes belonging to the Saṅgha will be distributed. Will you consent to a share?' 'Yes, friends, I will consent.' Having received a share of robe-cloth from there also, I went to yet another monastery. There too the bhikkhus, wishing to distribute robe-cloth, assembled. They too said to me thus: 'Friend, these robes belonging to the Saṅgha will be distributed. Will you consent to a share?' 'Yes, friends, I will consent.' And I received a share of robe-cloth from there also. Thus has much robe-cloth accrued to me."
"But is it so, friend Upananda, that having spent the rains residence in one place, you consented to a share of robe-cloth in another place?"
"It is so, friends."
Those bhikkhus who were of few wishes … criticized, complained, and spread it about, saying: "How indeed can the Venerable Upananda the Sakyan, having spent the rains residence in one place, consent to a share of robe-cloth in another place?" They reported this matter to the Blessed One.
"Is it true, as they say, Upananda, that you, having spent the rains residence in one place, consented to a share of robe-cloth in another place?"
"It is true, Blessed One."
The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked him: "How indeed can you, foolish man, having spent the rains residence in one place, consent to a share of robe-cloth in another place? This, foolish man, is not for the arousing of confidence in those without confidence …" Having rebuked him and given a talk on the Dhamma, he addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, one who has spent the rains residence in one place should not consent to a share of robe-cloth in another place. Whoever should consent commits an offence of wrong-doing (dukkaṭa)."
Now at that time the Venerable Upananda the Sakyan spent the rains residence alone in two monasteries, thinking: "Thus much robe-cloth will accrue to me." Then it occurred to those bhikkhus: "How, indeed, should the share of robe-cloth be given to the Venerable Upananda the Sakyan?" They reported this matter to the Blessed One.
"Bhikkhus, give the foolish man a single share (ekādhippāya). Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu spends the rains residence alone in two monasteries, thinking: 'Thus much robe-cloth will accrue to me.' If he dwells half in the one place and half in the other, a half share of robe-cloth should be given in the one place and a half share in the other; or else, wherever he dwells the greater part, from there the share of robe-cloth should be given."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.