Dear Ven. Kumara and Nina,

thank you. I gather from your discussion that the rainy season is taken to last for four months. However, the typical rains residence (vassaavaasa) for monks is only three months, and a monk gets to choose either the first three or the last three months.

So, the term which requires rework is vassuupanaayikaa:

* vassuupanaayikaa (f) period for observance of the rains retreat.
[lit.] period marked by the beginning of rain.
- vassa (m) rain.
- upanaayika (adj) beginning.

Hence,

"Dvemaa, bhikkhave, vassuupanaayikaa.
these two / monks / periods for observance of the rains retreat
"O monks, these (are) the two periods for observance of the rains retreat.

metta,
Yong Peng.

--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, Kumara Bhikkhu wrote:

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.

> "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.