釋氏要覽 1.256

1.256

僧祇律云。佛制年不滿十五。不應作沙彌。後在迦維衛國。阿難有親里二小兒孤露阿難養育之。佛問何不出家。阿難白佛言佛制不許度。佛問是二小兒。能驅食上烏未答能。佛言聽作驅烏沙彌。最下七歲。至年十三者。皆名驅烏沙彌。若年十四。至十九名應法沙彌（今呼沙彌為法公也）若年二十已上。皆號名字沙彌。

The Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya states: 'The Buddha regulated that those under fifteen years of age should not become novices. Later, in Kapilavastu, Ānanda had two young orphaned children related to him, and Ānanda raised them. The Buddha asked why they did not leave home. Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying that the Buddha's regulations did not permit ordaining them. The Buddha asked: "Are these two young children able to chase away crows from food?" He replied: "They can." The Buddha said: "I allow them to become crow-scaring novices." Those of the lowest age of seven up to thirteen are all called crow-scaring novices. Those aged fourteen to nineteen are called legally qualified novices (nowadays novices are called fagong). Those aged twenty and above are all called nominal novices.'