(Mv.V.9.4) [14] Now at that time the Group-of-six monks rode in vehicles: yoked by a woman[2] [driving] with a man inside (as a passenger), or yoked by a man with a woman inside (as a passenger). People criticized and complained and spread it about, “Just like the festival at the Ganges.”
They reported the matter to the Blessed One.
“Monks, one should not ride in a vehicle. Whoever should ride: an offense of wrong doing.”
(Mv.V.10.1) Now on that occasion a certain monk was in the Kosalan countryside, going to Sāvatthī to see the Blessed One, and got sick along the road. Then the monk came down from the road and sat down at the root of a certain tree. On seeing the monk, people said to him, “Venerable sir, where is the master going?”
“Sāvatthī is where I’m going, friends — to see the Blessed One.”
(Mv.V.10.2) “Come, venerable sir, lets go.”
“I can’t, friends. I’m sick.”
“Come, venerable sir, get in a vehicle.”
“Enough, friends. The Blessed One has prohibited vehicles.”
Anxious, he didn’t get in the vehicle. Then the monk, having gone to Sāvatthī, reported the matter to the monks. The monks reported the matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, having given a Dhamma talk with regard to this cause, to this incident, addressed the monks:
“Monks, I allow a vehicle for one who is ill.”
(Mv.V.10.3) Then the thought occurred to the monks, “Yoked by a woman [driving], or by a man?”
They reported the matter to the Blessed One.
“Monks, I allow a cart yoked by a man [i.e., driving] and a hand cart.” [3]
Now on that occasion a certain monk — because of the jolting of the vehicle — became even more unwell. They reported the matter to the Blessed One.
“Monks, I allow a sedan-chair and a hammock sedan-chair.”