‘Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. If the Sangha is ready, I will reply when asked by so-and-so on the Monastic Law.’ And how is one approved through someone else? A competent and capable monk should inform the Sangha: ‘Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. If the Sangha is ready, so-and-so will reply when asked by so-and-so on the Monastic Law.’

Soon good monks replied to questions on the Monastic Law in the midst of the Sangha after being approved. The monks from the group of six became angry and bitter, and they made threats of violence. “The monk who has been approved should first survey the gathering and evaluate the individuals, and then reply to questions on the Monastic Law in the midst of the Sangha.”

14. Discussion of accusing At one time the monks from the group of six accused a monk of an offense without first getting his permission to do so. “You shouldn’t accuse a monk of an offense without first getting his permission. If you do, you commit an offense of wrong conduct. You should only accuse someone of an offense after getting their permission: ‘I wish to speak to you, venerable, please give me permission.’”

Soon, after getting their permission, good monks accused the monks from the group of six of an offense. The monks from the group of six became angry and bitter, and they made threats of violence. “Even when you have their permission, you should first evaluate the individual and then accuse them of an offense.”