It would indeed be hard to translate this correctly without basic knowledge in vassa observation.

There are 2 points of entry for vassaavaasa (rains residence), one later by a month. The earlier spans the first 3 months of the seasonal vassa (of 4 months), and the later the last 3 months. Thus, they overlap by 2 months.

Normally a monk enters the earlier one. However, should there be some valid reason, he can to enter the later one.

E.g., the earlier vassa entry for this year according to the Burmese reckoning is on 7 July (which is the day immediately after the hot season), and the later is 6 August.

With this, perhaps you'd like to rework the translation.

For details on vassa observation, see here: <http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.ch11.html>http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc2/bmc2.ch11.html

kb

Ong Yong Peng wrote thus at 03:05 PM 29-03-09:

>Dear Nina and friends,
>
>10. "Dvemaa, bhikkhave, vassuupanaayikaa. Katamaa dve? Purimikaa ca pacchimikaa ca. Imaa kho, bhikkhave, dve vassuupanaayikaa"ti. Dasama.m.
>
>--------------------------------------------------
>
>Vassuupanaayikasutta
>periods marked by the beginning of rain / sutta
>On Periods Marked by the Beginning of Rain
>
>"Dvemaa, bhikkhave, vassuupanaayikaa.
>these two / monks / periods marked by the beginning of rain
>"O monks, these (are) the two periods marked by the beginning of rain.
>
>* dvemaa = dve imaa: these two.
> - dve (num) two.
> - aya.m (pron) this.
>* bhikkhu (m) monk.
>* vassuupanaayikaa (f) period marked by the begining of rain.
> - vassa (m) rain.
> - upanaayika (adj) beginning.
>
>Katamaa dve?
>which / two
>Which are the two?
>
>* katama (pron) which.
>
>Purimikaa ca pacchimikaa ca.
>first / and / last / and
>The first and the last.
>
>* purimaka (adj) first.
>* pacchimaka (adj) last.
>
>Imaa kho, bhikkhave, dve vassuupanaayikaa"ti.
>these / indeed / monks / two / periods marked by the beginning of rain
>Indeed, O monks, these are two periods marked by the beginning of rain."
>
>* kho (indec) indeed.
>
>Dasama.m.
>tenth
>The tenth.
>
>Kammakara.navaggo pa.thamo.
>Kammakara.na Vagga, the first.
>
>
>Is this an indication of the knowledge of climatic differences in India? Does a monk have to observe two Vassas if he happens to be in two locations in the same year, and he is there for the period of Vassa at each location? Is this being extended to areas outside India?
>
>
>metta,
>Yong Peng.
>
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
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