[238] At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling at Kosambī, in Ghositārāma. Now at that time a certain bhikkhu had committed an offense (āpatti). He held the view regarding that offense that it was an offense, while other bhikkhus held the view regarding that offense that it was not an offense. Then at a later time he came to hold the view regarding that offense that it was not an offense, while other bhikkhus held the view regarding that offense that it was an offense. Then those bhikkhus said to that bhikkhu: "Friend, you have committed an offense; do you see this offense?" "I have no offense, friends, that I should see." Then those bhikkhus, having obtained concord (sāmaggī, a complete assembly), suspended that bhikkhu for not seeing the offense.
Now that bhikkhu was learned, one to whom the scriptural tradition had come down, an expert in the Dhamma, an expert in the Vinaya, an expert in the mātikās, wise, competent, intelligent, conscientious, scrupulous, desirous of the training. Then that bhikkhu approached bhikkhus who were his companions and intimates and said this: "This is no offense, friends; this is not an offense. I have not committed an offense; it is not that I have committed one. I am not suspended; it is not that I am suspended. I was suspended by a formal act (kamma) not in accordance with the Dhamma — one that is reversible and unfit to stand. May the venerable ones be my partisans in accordance with the Dhamma and in accordance with the Vinaya." And that bhikkhu obtained as partisans the bhikkhus who were his companions and intimates. And he sent a messenger to the bhikkhus of the countryside who were his companions and intimates: "This is no offense, friends; this is not an offense. I have not committed an offense; it is not that I have committed one. I am not suspended; it is not that I am suspended. I was suspended by a formal act not in accordance with the Dhamma — one that is reversible and unfit to stand. May the venerable ones be my partisans in accordance with the Dhamma and in accordance with the Vinaya." And that bhikkhu obtained as partisans the bhikkhus in the countryside too who were his companions and intimates.
Then those bhikkhus who sided with the suspended one approached the suspending bhikkhus; having approached, they said this to the suspending bhikkhus: "This is no offense, friends; this is not an offense. This bhikkhu has not committed an offense; it is not that this bhikkhu has committed one. This bhikkhu is not suspended; it is not that this bhikkhu is suspended. He was suspended by a formal act not in accordance with the Dhamma — one that is reversible and unfit to stand." When this was said, the suspending bhikkhus said this to the bhikkhus who sided with the suspended one: "This is an offense, friends; it is not no-offense. This bhikkhu has committed an offense; it is not that this bhikkhu has not committed one. This bhikkhu is suspended; it is not that this bhikkhu is not suspended. He was suspended by a formal act in accordance with the Dhamma — one that is irreversible and fit to stand. Do not, venerable ones, side with this suspended bhikkhu; do not follow in his train." But even when spoken to thus by the suspending bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who sided with the suspended one still sided with that suspended bhikkhu and followed in his train just the same.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.