I, 73, 4. ADMISSION TO THE ORDER OF BHIKKHUS. 22 7
an upa^/^clya) ; now I want a nissaya, but I am travelling. What am I to do ?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' I allow, O Bhikkhus, a travelling Bhikkhu who can get no nissaya, to live without a nissaya/
2. At that time two Bhikkhus were travelling on
the road in the Kosala country. They came to
a certain residence ; there one of the two Bhikkhus
was taken ill. Now that sick Bhikkhu thought :
' The Blessed One has prescribed that we shall not
live without a nissaya; now I want a nissaya, but
I am sick. What am I to do ?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* I allow, O Bhikkhus, a sick Bhikkhu who can get no nissaya, to live without a nissaya.'
3. Now the other Bhikkhu, who nursed that sick
Bhikkhu, thought : ' The Blessed One has pre-
scribed, &c. ; now I want a nissaya, but this
Bhikkhu is sick. What am I to do ?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' I allow, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu who is nursing
a sick Bhikkhu, if he can get no nissaya and the
sick asks him (to remain with him), to live without
a nissaya/
4. At that time a certain Bhikkhu lived in the
forest ; he had a dwelling-place where he lived
pleasantly. Now this Bhikkhu thought : ' The
Blessed One has prescribed, &c; now I want
a nissaya, but I live in the forest and have a
dwelling-place where I live pleasantly. What am
I to do?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* I allow, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu living in the forest who finds a place where he may live pleasantly,
2 28 MAHAVAGGA. I, 74, 1.
and who can get (there) no nissaya, to live without
a nissaya (saying to himself) : " If a proper person
to give me nissaya comes hither, I will take nis-
saya of that person/' '
1. At that time there was a person that desired
to receive the upasampada ordination from the
venerable Mahakassapa. Then the venerable Maha-
kassapa sent a messenger to the venerable Ananda :
' Come, Ananda, and recite the upasampada pro-
clamation for this person/ The venerable Ananda
said : ' I cannot pronounce the Thera's (i. e. Maha-
kassapa's) name ; the Thera is too venerable com-
pared with me/
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to use also the family
name (of the upa^/^aya, instead of his proper
name) in the proclamation/
2. At that time there were two persons that
desired to receive the upasampada ordination from
the venerable Mahakassapa. They quarrelled with
each other. (One said) : ' I will receive the upa-
sampada ordination first/ (The other said): ' Nay,
I will receive it first/
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to ordain two persons
by one proclamation/
3. At that time there were persons who desired
to receive the upasampada ordination from dif-
ferent Theras. They quarrelled with each other.
(One said): ' I will receive the upasampada ordina-
I, 75. Admission to the Order of Bhikkhus. 229
tion first/ (The other said): 'Nay, I will receive
it first/ The Theras said : ' Well, friends, let us
ordain them altogether by one proclamation/
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to ordain two or three
persons by one proclamation, provided they have
the same upa^Mya, but not if they have dif-
ferent upaj^/zayas/
At that time the venerable Kumarakassapa had
received the upasampada ordination when he had
completed the twentieth year from his conception
(but not from his birth). Now the venerable Kuma-
rakassapa thought : * The Blessed One has forbidden
us to confer the upasampada ordination on persons
under twenty years of age1, and I have completed
my twentieth year (only) from my conception. Have
I, therefore, received the upasampada ordination,
or have I not received it ?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' When, O Bhikkhus, in the womb the first thought
rises up (in the nascent being), the first conscious-
ness manifests itself, according to this the (true)
birth should be reckoned. I allow you, O Bhikkhus,
to confer the upasampada ordination on persons
that have completed the twentieth year from their
conception (only)/
1 See chap. 49. 6.
23O MAHAVAGGA. I, 76, 1.
1. At that time ordained Bhikkhus were seen who
were afflicted with leprosy, boils, dry leprosy, con-
sumption, and fits.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that he who confers
the upasampada ordination, ask (the person to be
ordained) about the Disqualifications (for receiving
the ordination). And let him ask, O Bhikkhus, in
this way :
4 Are you afflicted with the following diseases, leprosy, boils, dry leprosy, consumption, and fits ?
' Are you a man ?
* Are you a male ?
* Are you a freeman ? ' Have you no debts ?
' Are you not in the royal service ?
' Have your father and mother given their consent?
' Are you full twenty years old ?
' Are your alms-bowl and your robes in due state ?
* What is your name ?
' What is your upa^Mya's name ?'
2. At that time the Bhikkhus asked the persons
who desired to receive the upasampadi ordination
about the Disqualifications, without having them in-
structed beforehand (how to answer). The persons
that desired to be ordained, became disconcerted,
perplexed, and could not answer.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you first instruct
(the persons desirous of being ordained), and then
ask them about the Disqualifications/
I, 76, 5. ADMISSION TO THE ORDER OF BHIKKHUS. 23 I
3. Then they instructed (the candidates) in the
midst of the assembly; the persons desirous of being
ordained became disconcerted, perplexed, and could
not answer nevertheless.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
* I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you instruct them
aside, and ask them about the Disqualifications be-
fore the assembly. And you ought, O Bhikkhus,
to instruct them in this way : You ought first to
cause them to choose an upa^/^aya; when they
have chosen an upa^^aya, their alms-bowl and
robes must be shown to them, " This is your alms-
bowl, this is your sa^gha^i, this is your upper
robe, this is your under garment; come and place
yourself here." '
4. Ignorant, unlearned Bhikkhus instructed them;
the persons desirous of being ordained, though they
had been instructed, became disconcerted, perplexed,
and could not answer.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' Let no ignorant, unlearned Bhikkhus, O Bhik-
khus, instruct them. If they do, they commit a
dukka/a offence. I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that
a learned, competent Bhikkhu instruct them/
5. At that time persons instructed them who were not appointed thereto.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
' Let no one, O Bhikkhus, instruct them without
being appointed thereto. He who so instructs, com-
mits a dukka/a offence. I prescribe, O Bhikkhus,
that an appointed Bhikkhu is to instruct them. And
(this Bhikkhu), O Bhikkhus, is to be appointed in this
way : One may either appoint himself, or one may
appoint another person. And how is (a Bhikkhu) to
232 MAH AVAGGA. I, 76, 6.
appoint himself ? Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu
proclaim the following #atti before the Sa/^gha:
" Let the Sa^gha, reverend Sirs, hear me. N.N. de-
sires to receive the upasampada ordination from
the venerable N.N. If the Sa;^gha is ready, I will
instruct N. N." Thus one may appoint himself.
6. ' And how is (a Bhikkhu) to appoint another
person ? Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu pro-
claim the following natti before the Sa^gha : " Let
the Sa^gha, &c. N. N. desires to receive the upa-
sampada ordination from the venerable N. N. If
the Sawgha is ready, let N. N. instruct N. N." Thus
one may appoint another person.
7. ' Then let that appointed Bhikkhu go to the person who desires to be ordained, and thus address him : " Do you hear, N. N. ? This is the time for you to speak the truth, and to say that which is. When I ask you before the assembly about that which is, you ought, if it is so, to answer: ' It is;' if it is not so, you ought to answer: 'It is not/ Be not disconcerted, be not perplexed. I shall ask you thus : ' Are you afflicted with the following diseases, &c?' " '
8. (After the instruction, the instructor and the candidate) appeared together before the assembly.
' Let them not appear together. Let the instructor
come first and proclaim the following natti before
the Sa^gha : " Let the Sa^gha, reverend Sirs, hear
me. N. N. desires to receive the upasampada
ordination from the venerable N. N.; he has been
instructed by me. If the Sa^gha is ready, let N. N.
come." Then let him be told: " Come on." Let
him be told to adjust his upper robe (&c, see chap.
29. 2), to raise his joined hands, and to ask (the
Sa/^gha) for the upasampada ordination (by say-
I, 76, 10. ADMISSION TO THE ORDER OF BHIKKHUS. 233
ing), " I ask the Sa^gha, reverend Sirs, for the u pa-
samp a da ordination; might the Sa^gha, reverend
Sirs, draw me out (of the sinful world) out of compas-
sion towards me. And for the second time, reverend
Sirs, I ask, &c. And for the third time, reverend
Sirs, I ask, &c."
9. ' Then let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim
the following /zatti before the Sa^gha : " Let the
Sa^gha, reverend Sirs, hear me. This person N. N.
desires to receive the upasampada ordination from
the venerable N. N. If the Sawgha is ready, let me
ask N. N. about the Disqualifications.
' " Do you hear, N. N.? This is the time for you
(&c, see § 7, down to :•) you ought to answer : 'It
is not.
'"Are you afflicted with the followingdiseases,&c.?"
10. ' Then let a learned, competent Bhikkhu pro-
claim the following #atti before the Sawgha : " Let
the Sa/^gha, reverend Sirs, hear me. This person
N. N. desires to receive the upasampada ordi-
nation from the venerable N.N.; he is free from
the Disqualifications ; his alms-bowl and robes are
in due state. N. N. asks the Sa^gha for the upa-
sampada ordination with N. N. as upa^^aya. If
the Sa^gha is ready, &C.1" '
End of the regulations for the upasampada ordination2.
1 Here follows the usual complete formula of a watti^atuttha kamma; see chaps. 28. 4-6 ; 29. 3, &c.
2 With these sections compare the previous chapters 12, 28 and following, 36 and following. The wattis prescribed in this chapter, together with the Three Refuges Formula prescribed in chap. 12, § 4, the whole of chap. 77, and the Four Interdictions form together
234 MAHAVAGGA. 1,77.
77.
' Then let them measure the shadow, tell (the
newly-ordained Bhikkhu) what season and what
date it is, tell him what part of the day it is, tell
him the whole formula1, and tell him the four Re-
sources : " The religious life has the morsels of food
given in alms for its resource (&c, as in chap. 30. 4)." '
End of the four Resources.
78.
1 . At that time the Bhikkhus, after having conferred
the upasampada ordination on a certain Bhikkhu,
left him alone and went away. Afterwards, as he
went alone (to the Arama), he met on the way his
former wife. She said to him : ' Have you now em-
braced the religious life?' (He replied): 'Yes, I
have embraced the religious life/ ' It is difficult to
persons who have embraced religious life, to obtain
sexual intercourse ; come, let us have intercourse/
He practised intercourse with her, and, in conse-
quence, came late (to the Arama). The Bhikkhus
said: ' How is it, friend, that you are so late?'
2. Then that Bhikkhu told the whole matter
to the Bhikkhus. The Bhikkhus told it to the
Blessed One.
the current ceremony of ordination (the upasampada-kamma- vaH) as now still in use in the Order. See the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series, VII, p. 1.
1 I. e., according to Buddhaghosa, repeat to him all the data specified befpre together, in order that he might be able to give a correct answer when asked about his spiritual age.
I, 78, 5. ADMISSION TO THE ORDER OF BHIKKHUS. 235
' I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you give a com-
panion to a newly-ordained Bhikkhu, and that you
tell him the four Interdictions :
'" A Bhikkhu who has received the upasampada
ordination, ought to abstain from all sexual
intercourse even with an animal. A Bhikkhu
who practises sexual intercourse is no Samara and
no follower of the Sakyaputta. As a man whose
head is cut off, cannot live any longer with his trunk
alone, thus a Bhikkhu who practises sexual inter-
course is no Samara and no follower of the Sakya-
putta. Abstain from doing so as long as your life lasts.
3. '" A Bhikkhu who has received the upasam-
pada ordination, ought to abstain from taking
what is not given to him, and from theft, even
of a blade of grass. A Bhikkhu who takes what is
not given to him, or steals it, if it is a pada (i. e. a
quarter of a karshapa/za), or of the value of a
pada, or worth more than a pada, is no Samara and
no follower of the Sakyaputta. As a sear leaf loosed
from its stalk cannot become green again, thus a
Bhikkhu who takes, &c. Abstain from doing so as
long as your life lasts.
4. ' " A Bhikkhu who has received the upasam-
padci ordination, ought not intentionally to
destroy the life of any being down to a worm
or an ant. A Bhikkhu who intentionally kills a
human being, down to procuring abortion, is no
Samara and no follower of the Sakyaputta. As a
great stone which is broken in two, cannot be re-
united, thus a Bhikkhu who intentionally, &c. Abstain
from doing so as long as your life lasts.