[85] Now at that time a certain bhikkhu, having spent the rains among the Kāsis, while traveling to Sāvatthī to see the Blessed One, arrived at Kiṭāgiri. Then in the morning that bhikkhu dressed, took his bowl and robe, and entered Kiṭāgiri for alms — pleasing in his going forward and his returning, in his looking ahead and his looking aside, in his bending and his stretching, his eyes downcast, accomplished in the postures (iriyāpatha).
People, seeing that bhikkhu, said this: "Who is this, like the feeblest of the feeble, like the dullest of the dull, like the most sour-faced of the sour-faced? Who would give even a morsel of almsfood to this one when he comes up? But our masters, the followers of Assaji and Punabbasu, are gentle, kindly, pleasant of speech, greeting first with a smile, saying 'Come! Welcome!', unfrowning, open of countenance, the first to speak — it is indeed to them that almsfood should be given."
A certain lay follower (upāsaka) saw that bhikkhu walking for alms in Kiṭāgiri; having seen him, he approached that bhikkhu, and having approached and paid homage to that bhikkhu, he said this: "Bhante, has any almsfood been received?"
"No almsfood has been received, friend."
"Come, Bhante, we shall go to my house." Then that lay follower, having led that bhikkhu to his house and fed him, said this: "Where, Bhante, will the master go?"
"I shall go to Sāvatthī, friend, to see the Blessed One."
"Then, Bhante, pay homage in my name with your head at the Blessed One's feet, and speak thus: 'Bhante, the dwelling-place at Kiṭāgiri has been corrupted. The bhikkhus known as the followers of Assaji and Punabbasu, resident at Kiṭāgiri, are shameless, evil bhikkhus. They engage in misconduct of such a kind as this: they plant flowering shrubs and have them planted; they water them and have them watered; they pluck the flowers and have them plucked; they string them and have them strung; they make garlands with stalks on one side and have them made; they make garlands with stalks on both sides and have them made; they make flower-sprays and have them made; they make branching flower-arrangements and have them made; they make flower-crests and have them made; they make flower-chaplets and have them made; they make breast-plates of flowers and have them made. For the women of good families, the daughters of good families, the girls of good families, the daughters-in-law of good families, and the slave-women of good families, they carry garlands with stalks on one side and have them carried; they carry garlands with stalks on both sides and have them carried; they carry flower-sprays and have them carried; they carry branching flower-arrangements and have them carried; they carry flower-crests and have them carried; they carry flower-chaplets and have them carried; they carry breast-plates of flowers and have them carried. Together with the women of good families, the daughters of good families, the girls of good families, the daughters-in-law of good families, and the slave-women of good families, they eat from a single dish; they drink from a single vessel; they sit on a single seat; they lie down on a single bed; they lie down on a single mat; they lie down under a single covering; they lie down on a single mat and under a single covering. They eat at the wrong time; they drink intoxicants; they wear garlands, scents, and unguents. They dance, they sing, they play instruments, they perform. They dance with a woman who is dancing; they sing with a woman who is dancing; they play instruments with a woman who is dancing; they perform with a woman who is dancing. They dance with a woman who is singing; they sing with a woman who is singing; they play instruments with a woman who is singing; they perform with a woman who is singing. They dance with a woman who is playing instruments; they sing with a woman who is playing instruments; they play instruments with a woman who is playing instruments; they perform with a woman who is playing instruments. They dance with a woman who is performing; they sing with a woman who is performing; they play instruments with a woman who is performing; they perform with a woman who is performing. They play on boards of eight rows; they play on boards of ten rows; they play at imaginary boards in the air; they play at stepping-diagrams; they play at spillikans; they play at dice-games; they play at tip-cat; they play at hand-pictures; they play at ball-games; they play at blowing through leaf-pipes; they play with toy ploughs; they play at turning somersaults; they play with toy windmills; they play with toy measures made of leaves; they play with toy chariots; they play with toy bows; they play at guessing letters; they play at guessing thoughts; they play at mimicking deformities. They train in elephant-riding; they train in horsemanship; they train in chariotry; they train in archery; they train in swordsmanship. They run before elephants; they run before horses; they run before chariots. They run races and run to and fro; they whistle; they clap their arms; they wrestle; they fight with their fists. Having spread the outer robe (saṅghāṭi) in the middle of a dancing arena, they say to a dancing girl: "Dance here, sister!" — and they give the forehead-gesture, and they engage in various kinds of misconduct. Those people, Bhante, who formerly had faith and were filled with confidence are now without faith and without confidence; even those former channels of giving to the Saṅgha are now cut off. Well-behaved bhikkhus abandon the place; evil bhikkhus dwell there. It would be good, Bhante, if the Blessed One would send bhikkhus to Kiṭāgiri, so that this dwelling-place at Kiṭāgiri might be established again.'"
"Very well, friend," that bhikkhu assented to that lay follower; and rising from his seat he set out for Sāvatthī, and in due course reached Sāvatthī, the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍika's park, and approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.