[24] By that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One — where was the first undetermined (aniyata) rule laid down? — It was laid down at Sāvatthī. — Concerning whom? — Concerning the Venerable Udāyī. — On what matter? — On the matter that the Venerable Udāyī sat down with a woman, the one alone with the other, in private, on a concealed seat suitable for the purpose.
Is there in that rule a laying-down (paññatti), a supplementary laying-down (anupaññatti), a laying-down where no offense had arisen (anuppannapaññatti)? — There is one laying-down; there is no supplementary laying-down nor laying-down where no offense had arisen in it. — Is it a laying-down for everywhere, or a laying-down for a particular region? — A laying-down for everywhere. — Is it a laying-down shared in common, or not shared in common? — A laying-down not shared in common. — Is it a laying-down for one side, or a laying-down for both sides? — A laying-down for one side.
Of the five recitations of the Pātimokkha, in which is it included, in which is it comprised? — It is included in the introduction (nidāna), comprised in the introduction. — By which recitation does it come up for recitation? — It comes up for recitation by the fourth recitation.
Of the four failures, which failure is it? — It may be failure in virtue, it may be failure in conduct. — Of the seven classes of offenses (āpatti), which class of offense is it? — It may be the class of pārājika offenses, it may be the class of saṅghādisesa offenses, it may be the class of pācittiya offenses. — Of the six origins of offenses, by how many origins does it originate? — It originates by one origin: it originates from body and from mind (citta), not from speech. — Of the four legal questions (adhikaraṇa), which legal question is it? — A legal question concerning an offense. — Of the seven means of settlement, by how many means of settlement is it settled? — It is settled by three means of settlement: sometimes by a verdict in the presence (sammukhāvinaya) together with acting upon acknowledgment (paṭiññātakaraṇa), and sometimes by a verdict in the presence together with covering over as with grass (tiṇavatthāraka).
What therein is Vinaya, what therein is abhivinaya? — The laying-down is Vinaya; the analysis is abhivinaya. — What therein is Pātimokkha, what therein is adhipātimokkha? — The laying-down is Pātimokkha; the analysis is adhipātimokkha. — What is failure? — Non-restraint is failure. — What is success? — Restraint is success. — What is the practice? — That one undertakes it for as long as life lasts, to the very end of one's breath, thinking, "I shall not do such a deed," and trains in the training rules.
For how many reasons was the first undetermined rule laid down by the Blessed One? — For ten reasons the first undetermined rule was laid down by the Blessed One: for the excellence of the Saṅgha, for the comfort of the Saṅgha, for the restraint of shameless persons, for the comfortable dwelling of well-behaved bhikkhus, for the restraint of taints (āsava) pertaining to the present life, for warding off taints pertaining to future lives, for inspiring confidence in those without confidence, for increasing the confidence of those already confident, for the endurance of the true Dhamma, and for fostering the Vinaya.
Who train? — Trainees (sekkha) and good worldlings train. — Who have completed the training? — Arahants have completed the training. — In whom does it stand established? — It stands established in those who desire the training. — Who bear it in mind? — Those to whom it applies bear it in mind. — Whose word is it? — It is the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. — By whom was it handed down? — It was handed down by successive tradition:
Upāli, Dāsaka, and likewise Soṇaka, Siggava,
with Moggalīputta as the fifth — these, in the [isle] called glorious Jambu;
then Mahinda, Iṭṭiya, and Uttiya, and Sambala,
…
These nāgas of great wisdom, knowers of the Vinaya, skilled in the path,
proclaimed the Vinaya Piṭaka in the island of Tambapaṇṇi.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.