Soon afterwards Venerable Upāli went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down, “How many things are there, sir, that stop a monk on probation from counting a particular day toward his probationary period?” “There are three such things, Upāli: he stays in the same room as a regular monk; he stays apart from other monks; he doesn’t inform other monks of his status.” On one occasion a large sangha of monks had gathered at Sāvatthī. The monks on probation were unable to fulfill their probationary duties. They told the Buddha. “I allow you to set aside the probation. And it should be done like this.