Aṭṭhakanipāta 88

Numbered Discourses 8.88

9. Mindfulness

A Proclamation of No Confidence

1 “Mendicants, the lay followers may, if they wish, make a proclamation of no confidence in a mendicant who has eight qualities. What eight? They try to prevent laypeople from getting material things. They try to harm laypeople. They insult and abuse laypeople. They divide lay people against each other. They criticize the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. They’re seen at an inappropriate place for collecting alms. The lay followers may, if they wish, make a proclamation of no confidence in a mendicant who possesses these eight qualities.

2 The lay followers may, if they wish, make a proclamation of confidence in a mendicant who has eight qualities. What eight? They don’t try to prevent laypeople from getting material things. They don’t try to harm laypeople. They don’t insult and abuse laypeople. They don’t divide laypeople against each other. They don’t criticize the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. They’re not seen at an inappropriate place for collecting alms. The lay followers may, if they wish, make a proclamation of confidence in a mendicant who possesses these eight qualities.”