[645] Then the Vajjiputtaka bhikkhus of Vesālī, taking those ascetic's requisites, approached the Venerable Revata; having approached, they said to the Venerable Revata: "Venerable sir, may the elder accept these ascetic's requisites — a bowl, a robe, a sitting-cloth, a needle-case, a waistband, a water-strainer, and a water-filter (dhamakaraka)."
"Enough, friends; my set of three robes is complete." He did not wish to accept.
Now at that time a bhikkhu named Uttara, of twenty years' standing, was the Venerable Revata's attendant. Then the Vajjiputtaka bhikkhus of Vesālī approached the Venerable Uttara; having approached, they said to the Venerable Uttara: "May the Venerable Uttara accept these ascetic's requisites — a bowl, a robe, a sitting-cloth, a needle-case, a waistband, a water-strainer, and a water-filter."
"Enough, friends; my set of three robes is complete." He did not wish to accept.
"Friend Uttara, people present ascetic's requisites to the Blessed One. If the Blessed One accepts them, they are pleased by that very acceptance; but if the Blessed One does not accept them, they present them to the Venerable Ānanda, saying: 'Venerable sir, may the elder accept these ascetic's requisites; thus it will be just as though they had been accepted by the Blessed One.' Let the Venerable Uttara accept these ascetic's requisites; thus it will be just as though they had been accepted by the elder."
Then the Venerable Uttara, being pressed by the Vajjiputtaka bhikkhus of Vesālī, took one robe, saying: "Tell me, friends, what it is you need."
"Let the Venerable Uttara say just this much to the elder: 'Venerable sir, let the elder say just this much in the midst of the Saṅgha: "The Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, arise in the eastern districts. The bhikkhus of the East are speakers of Dhamma; the bhikkhus of Pāṭheyya are speakers of non-Dhamma."'"
"Very well, friends," the Venerable Uttara replied to the Vajjiputtaka bhikkhus of Vesālī. He approached the Venerable Revata; having approached, he said to the Venerable Revata: "Venerable sir, let the elder say just this much in the midst of the Saṅgha: 'The Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, arise in the eastern districts. The bhikkhus of the East are speakers of Dhamma; the bhikkhus of Pāṭheyya are speakers of non-Dhamma.'"
"You are urging me toward what is not Dhamma, bhikkhu," said the elder, and he dismissed the Venerable Uttara.
Then the Vajjiputtaka bhikkhus of Vesālī said to the Venerable Uttara: "Friend Uttara, what did the elder say?"
"An evil thing has been done by us, friends. Saying, 'You are urging me toward what is not Dhamma, bhikkhu,' the elder dismissed me."
"But are you not senior, friend Uttara, of twenty years' standing?"
"Yes, friends; but still we take dependence (nissaya) upon a respected teacher."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.