[497] How is a bhikkhu suspected, on the ground of what has been seen and heard, of a failure of conduct (ācāravipatti)? Bhikkhus, here, by whatever modes (ākāra), by whatever characteristics (liṅga), by whatever signs (nimitta) a bhikkhu comes to be suspected, on the ground of what has been seen and heard, of a failure of conduct — by those modes, by those characteristics, by those signs a bhikkhu sees a bhikkhu who is suspected, on the ground of what has been seen and heard, of a failure of conduct. Or a bhikkhu does not himself see a bhikkhu suspected, on the ground of what has been seen and heard, of a failure of conduct, but another bhikkhu informs the bhikkhu: "Friend, the bhikkhu named so-and-so is suspected, on the ground of what has been seen and heard, of a failure of conduct." Or a bhikkhu does not himself see a bhikkhu suspected, on the ground of what has been seen and heard, of a failure of conduct, nor does another bhikkhu inform the bhikkhu: "Friend, the bhikkhu named so-and-so is suspected, on the ground of what has been seen and heard, of a failure of conduct," but that very bhikkhu himself informs the bhikkhu: "Friend, I am suspected, on the ground of what has been seen and heard, of a failure of conduct."
Bhikkhus, if he so wishes, a bhikkhu — on account of that seeing, that hearing, and that suspicion — on that Uposatha day, whether the fourteenth or the fifteenth, when that person is present, may declare in the midst of the Saṅgha:
"Venerable sirs, let the Saṅgha listen to me. The person named so-and-so is suspected, on the ground of what has been seen and heard, of a failure of conduct. I suspend the Pātimokkha for him; the Pātimokkha should not be recited while he is present."
This is a suspension of the Pātimokkha in accordance with the Dhamma.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.