On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c17.s3.42

v2.c17.s3.42

The Buddha next proceeds to communicate to Subhadra the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-fold Path, teaching him that it is only in a religion which has these there can be a true śramaṇa proceeding through the three inferior stages to the perfection of arhatship.² Subhadra is delighted with the Buddha's teaching, professes himself a convert, and prays to be ordained a bhikshu. Buddha in reply to this request tells Subhadra that a professed disciple of another system is required to be four months on probation before he can be ordained as a Buddhist bhikshu. But he adds that there "is an individual difference", that is, that individual applicants of known good character may be ordained without undergoing a period of probation. Subhadra, however, according to the Mahā-Parinibbāna-sūtta and the Yu-hsing-ching replies that he is ready to undergo a probation of *four years*. But an exception is made in his favour and he is at once ordained, the difference being made on account of his high moral and religious reputation. Immediately after his ordination Subhadra applies himself earnestly to the work of self-perfection, and in a very short time becomes an arhat. As he cannot bear to see the Buddha die, having obtained the desired permission, he passes away before the Buddha.