四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 1.374

1.374

初請和尚者。以是得戒根本，若無此人，承習莫由，闕於示導，不相生長，必須請之。《善見論》云：以不請故，多造非法，諸師訶責，反云，誰請大德為我和尚？佛因制之。若不請者，不得；與受，得罪。《四分》請法，不云僧屏。計理別處預請，何損大理？今在眾中者，《十誦》云：令受戒人先入僧中，教使次第頭面一一禮僧足已，然後請之。《僧祇》云：今從尊求和尚等。《五分》云：請和尚時兩手捧足。當具修如上，至和尚前，旁人教云：「所以請和尚者，此是得戒根本，所歸投處。」種種隨機已，「計汝自陳，不解，故教也！」文云：「大德一心念！我某甲，今請大德為和尚，願大德為我作和尚，我依大德故，得受具足戒。慈愍故！（三說）」《僧祇》云：眾中三請已，和尚應語，發彼喜心。《四分》云：答言：「可爾！教授汝，清淨，莫放逸！」弟子答云：「頂戴持！」下文更有十種答法。問：沙彌戒時已曾請訖，今何重請？答：以容改轉，不用本師；又沙彌時請，初來為受十戒，今者沙彌為受具戒，受法不同；或可和尚無德，不合相攝。故二對請之。

First, regarding requesting the upādhyāya: because he is the root of attaining the precepts. If without this person, there is no way to inherit the training; lacking guidance, there is no mutual growth, so one must request him. The Samantapāsādikā states: 'Because people did not make a request, they committed many unlawful acts; when the masters reproached them, they retorted: "Who requested the Venerable to be my upādhyāya?" The Buddha accordingly instituted it. If one does not request, one does not attain [the precepts]; conferring them on such a person incurs an offense.' The Four-Part Vinaya's method of requesting does not mention being in a secluded place away from the saṃgha. Logically, requesting in advance in a separate place—how does that harm the overall principle? Now, as for doing so within the assembly: the Daśādhyāya-vinaya states: 'Let the candidate first enter the saṃgha, instruct him to bow with head to the ground at the feet of each monk in sequence, and only then request him.' The Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya states: 'Now seeking an upādhyāya from the Venerable, and so forth.' The Pañcavargika-vinaya states: 'When requesting the upādhyāya, hold his feet with both hands.' One should fully practice as above. Arriving before the upādhyāya, a bystander instructs him: 'The reason for requesting an upādhyāya is that he is the root of attaining the precepts, the refuge to which one turns.' After saying various things according to the candidate's capacity: 'Presumably you do not understand how to state it yourself, hence I instruct you!' The text states: 'Venerable, attentively consider me! I, so-and-so, now request the Venerable to be my upādhyāya. May the Venerable act as my upādhyāya. Depending on the Venerable, I am able to receive the full precepts. Out of compassion! (Spoken three times.)' The Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya states: 'After three requests in the assembly, the upādhyāya should speak, inspiring joy in his mind.' The Four-Part Vinaya states: 'He replies: "It is well! I shall instruct you; be pure, do not be indolent!" The disciple replies: "I shall uphold it upon my head!"' Further below in the text there are ten kinds of response methods. Question: 'During the śrāmaṇera precepts, one already requested [the preceptor]; why request again now?' Answer: 'Because there may be changes and one does not use the original master; also, requesting at the time of a śrāmaṇera was when first arriving to receive the ten precepts, whereas now the śrāmaṇera is receiving the full precepts, so the rites of reception are different; or perhaps the upādhyāya lacks virtue and is unfit to embrace the candidate. Therefore, one makes a request for each of the two.'