“One who has five qualities: (1) 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. (2) He has learned much, and he retains and accumulates what he has learned. (3) 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. (4) He’s firmly committed to the Monastic Law. (5) He’s capable of making both sides relax, of persuading them, of convincing them, of making them see, of reconciling them.

A monk who has five other qualities is also of great help to monks involved in a legal issue: he’s pure in bodily conduct; he’s pure in verbal conduct; he’s pure in livelihood; he’s knowledgeable and competent; he’s capable of answering properly when questioned.

A monk who has five other qualities is also of great help to monks involved in a legal issue: he knows the actions that are the bases for offenses; he knows the origin stories; he knows the rules; he knows the right order of words; he knows the sequence of statements.”

“Sir, what sort of monk shouldn’t be examined?”

“One who has five qualities: (1) he doesn’t know the Monastic Code; (2) he doesn’t know what is in accordance with the Monastic Code; (3) he doesn’t know the Monastic Law; (4) he doesn’t know what’s in accordance with the Monastic Law; (5) he’s not skilled in what is and is not possible.