The History of Buddhist Thought c12.11

c12.11

A man born as a householder or in some other low family hears the doctrine of a Buddha and acquires faith in him. He reflects that it is not easy to practise *brahmacariya* ² while living in a house, and decides to go forth to a houseless life, cutting off his hair and beard, giving up any wealth he may have, and abandoning all his relatives. “ Having thus left the world he dwells restrained with the restraint of the Pātimokkha, accomplished in the practice of good conduct, and seeing the danger of even minute faults. He adopts and becomes trained in the rules of training, exercising good action in body and speech, getting his livelihood by pure means, and having four special objects in view : being accomplished in morality, having the door of his senses guarded, being endowed with mindfulness and self-possession, and being content.