Monks’ Deciding of Legal Questions (Adhikaraṇasamatha) (PLI-TV-BU-VB-AS1-7)

These seven rules, venerable ones, for the deciding of legal questions come up for recitation. For the deciding, for the settlement of legal questions arising from time to time:

A verdict in the presence of may be given;

A verdict of innocence may be given;

A verdict of past insanity may be given;

It may be carried out on (his) acknowledgement;

(There is) the decision of the majority ;

The decision for specific depravity;

The covering up (as) with grass.

Recited, venerable ones, are the seven rules for the deciding of legal questions. Concerning them, I ask the venerable ones: I hope that you are quite pure in this matter? And a second time I ask: I hope that you are quite pure in this matter? And a third time I ask: I hope that you are quite pure in this matter? The venerable ones are quite pure in this matter, therefore they are silent. Thus do I understand this.

Monks’ Conclusion

Recited, venerable ones, is the occasion, recited are the four rules for offences involving defeat, recited are the thirteen rules for offences entailing a formal meeting of the Order, recited are the thirty rules for offences of expiation involving forfeiture, recited are the ninety-two rules for offences of expiation, recited are the four rules for offences which ought to be confessed, recited are the rules for training, recited are the seven rules for the deciding of legal questions. So much (of the sayings) of the lord, handed down in clauses, contained in clauses, comes up for recitation every half month. All should train therein in harmony, on friendly terms, without contention.

Told is the Great Analysis

The Book of the Discipline was translated by I.B. Horner.

Digital edition prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato

A complete digital edition can be downloaded here.

Published in 2014 by SuttaCentral.

Originally published by the Pali Text Society in the following years:

Vol. 1: 1938

Vol. 2: 1940

Vol. 3: 1942

Vol. 4: 1951

Vol. 5: 1950

Vol. 6: 1966

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