“If, monks, while they’re discussing that legal issue, there’s endless talk, but not a single statement that can be understood, then they should resolve that legal issue by means of a committee. A monk who has ten qualities may be appointed to that committee: He’s virtuous and restrained by the Monastic Code. His conduct is good, he associates with the right people, and he sees danger in minor faults. He undertakes and trains in the training rules. He has learned much, and he retains and accumulates what he has learned. Those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, that have a true goal and are well articulated, and that set out the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life—he has learned many such teachings, retained them in mind, recited them verbally, mentally investigated them, and penetrated them well by view. He has properly learned both Monastic Codes in detail; he has analyzed them well, thoroughly mastered them, and investigated them well, both in terms of the rules and their detailed exposition. He is firmly committed to the Monastic Law. He is capable of making both sides relax, of persuading them, of convincing them, of making them see, of reconciling them. He is knowledgeable about the arising and resolution of legal issues. He knows the legal issues. He knows the origin of the legal issues. He knows the ending of the legal issues. He knows the way to the ending of the legal issues.

And he should be appointed like this. First a monk should be asked, and then a competent and capable monk should inform the Sangha: ‘Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. While we were discussing this legal issue, there was endless talk, but not a single statement that could be understood. If the Sangha is ready, it should appoint monks so-and-so and so-and-so to a committee to resolve this legal issue. This is the motion.