In Kusinara

At one time The Blessed One was living in the Baliharana forest stretch in Kusinara. The Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus from there:

“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu intending to accuse another bhikkhu should internally reflect five things in himself, and be internally established in five things and then accuse. What five things should he internally reflect in himself?

The accusing bhikkhu should reflect thus: Am I with pure bodily behaviour, endowed with matchlessly unfishered bodily behaviour. Are these things evident in me or not? If the bhikkhu be without pure bodily behaviour, without matchlessly unfishered bodily behaviour, there may be someone who tells- Come on bhikkhu! You first train in bodily good conduct.

Again, bhikkhus, the accusing bhikkhu should reflect thus: Am I with pure verbal behaviour, endowed with matchlessly unfishered verbal behaviour. Are these things evident in me or not? If the bhikkhu be without pure verbal behaviour, without matchlessly unfishered verbal behaviour, there may be someone who tells- Come on bhikkhu! You first train in verbal good conduct.

Again, bhikkhus, the accusing bhikkhu should reflect thus: Am I established in loving kindness towards the co-associates in the holy life, without aversion Are these things evident in me or not? If the bhikkhu be without established loving kindness towards co-associates in the holy life without aversion, there may be someone who tells- Come on bhikkhu! You first establish yourself in thoughts of loving kindness towards co-associates in the holy life.

Again, the accusing bhikkhu should reflect thus: Am I learned do I bear and accumulate the Teaching which is good at the beginning, middle and end, full of meanings even in the letters and declaring the complete and pure holy life. Am I learned in that Teaching, to recite by words, to experience it with the mind and penetrating it and have I come to right view? Are these things evident in me or not? If the bhikkhu is not learned, does not bear and accumulate the teaching which is good at the beginning, middle and end full of meanings even in the letters, declaring the pure and complete holy life. Could not recite by words, experience it in the mind and penetrating it come to right view, there may be someone who says: Come on bhikkhu! You first learn the Teaching.

Again, the accusing bhikkhu should reflect thus: Is the higher code of rules ingrained in me in detail and well gone home, to explain, to uphold, to judge, by way of discourses and by way of words in them. Are these things evident in me or not? If the higher code of rules be not ingrained in the bhikkhu with details and well gone home, to explain, to uphold, to judge, by way of discourses and by way of words, there may be someone who tells- Come on bhikkhu! You first train in the discipline.

In what five things should he be internally established?

I will talk at the right time, never out of time. I will talk the truth, never the untruthful. I will talk gently, never roughly. I will talk desiring the good and not desiring evil. And I will talk with loving kindness without aversion. These five things should be internally established. Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu intending to accuse another bhikkhu should internally reflect five things in himself, and be internally established in five things and then accuse.