Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c19.s2: Rules for Admission
Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c19.s2
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Rules for Admission
v1.c19.s2.1
1. A person seeking ordination was required to shave his hair and moustache,⁴ put on yellow robes, and after covering one shoulder only by the yellow robes, sit on his legs, salute the bhikkhus, and then with folded hands, utter the tisaraṇa formula.⁵
v1.c19.s2.2
⁴ Sanction of the Saṅgha was required for *bhaṇḍukamma*.—*Mv*, I, 48. 2.
v1.c19.s2.3
⁵ *Vinaya*, I, p. 21-2.
v1.c19.s2.4
ii. After some time when the utterance of mere tisaraṇa formula was found inadequate, the system of ñatti-catuttha-kamma was introduced.⁶ The procedure was that an entrant, whose age must not be less than fifteen in case of *pabbajjā* and twenty in case of *upasampadā*, is to sit on his legs and ask for ordination in a set formulae (*kammavācā*)¹ before a chapter of at least ten fully ordained monks.² He must be presented to the chpater by his *upajjhāya*, or *ācariya*, a competent monk³ selected by him beforehand. He must also satisfy the monks present that he had complied with the preliminary conditions like taking parents' consent, shaving head and so forth. His intention to become a fully ordained monk is announced thrice (*natti-catuttha*) by the *upajjhāya* or *ācariya*. After the announcement, if there is none dissenting, the ordination is conferred. Immediately after the ordination the entrant is apprised of the four *nissayas*⁴ upon which he is to depend, viz., living on alms, using robes made out of rags, sleeping under trees, and taking urine and such other filthy things as medicine. These were however later on relaxed.⁵
v1.c19.s2.5
⁶ *Ibid.*, I, p. 55-6.
v1.c19.s2.6
¹ *Mahāvagga*, i, 29. 1; 49. 6; 51. 1.
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² *Ibid.*, i, 31. 2.
v1.c19.s2.8
³ *Vinaya*, I, p. 57: vyattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena saṃgho ñāpetabbo. A bhikkhu is considered competent if he is proficient in *sila*, *samādhi*, *paññā*, *vimutti* and *vimuttiñāṇa-dassana*. He must be a monk of ten years standing. See *Vinaya*, I, pp. 60-63.
v1.c19.s2.9
⁴ Bhagvat, *Early Buddhist Jurisprudence*, pp. 68-71.
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⁵ See *Infra*, pp. 285 ff.
v1.c19.s2.11
After *pabbajjā* ceremony a *sāmaṇera* is asked to observe only the ten precepts⁶ and it was after *upasampadā* that a monk is asked to observe the four *pārājikās* and other rules of the *Pātimokkha*.⁷
v1.c19.s2.12
⁶ *Mahāvagga*, i, 56.
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⁷ *Ibid.*, i, 78.
Linked texts (2)
- Mahāvagga — Pāli
- Vinayapiṭaka — Pāli