Vinaya Pitaka - Monastic Rules
Bhikkhu Vibhanga - Sekhiya 13: To speak in a low voice when sitting in inhabited areas.
- Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner.
… in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the group of six monks, making a loud noise, a great noise, went amidst the houses … " …
‘(With) little noise will I go amidst the houses,’ is a training to be observed."
One should go amidst the houses with little noise. Whoever out of disrespect, making a loud noise, a great noise, goes amidst the houses, there is an offence of wrong-doing.
There is no offence if it is unintentional, if he is not thinking, if he does not know, if he is ill, if there are accidents, if he is mad, if he is the first wrong-doer.
1 tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū uccāsaddaṃ mahāsaddaṃ karontā antaraghare gacchanti … pe … .
2 "appasaddo antaraghare gamissāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā"ti. (13:158)
3 appasaddena antaraghare gantabbaṃ. yo anādariyaṃ paṭicca uccāsaddaṃ mahāsaddaṃ karonto antaraghare gacchati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
4 anāpatti— asañcicca, assatiyā, ajānantassa, gilānassa, āpadāsu, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.