Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c22.19

c22.19

The proceedings of the Ordination may now be described. As has been already stated, the ordination can be conferred only by a Chapter of at least ten elders who should all be learned, competent, and of not less than ten years' standing (*Mahāvagga*, i, 31]. One of them must introduce the novice to the President of the Chapter in a formal resolution, *ñatti*. Then he, or any other member, is appointed by the Chapter to give the candidate preliminary instructions. The instructions are to be given aside. They comprise a series of questions to the candidate to ascertain his eligibility under the specified conditions already stated (regarding his being free from certain diseases, debts, obligations of royal service, his age, the consent of his parents). He was also asked his name, the name of the *Upājjhāya* he had chosen, and whether he had his alms-bowl and robes in due state. He was also instructed as to the manner of answering these questions before the Chapter when they would formally put them to him. On completion of these instructions, the instructor takes permission of the Chapter to present the candidate. The candidate is to present himself in a proper, respectful manner specified. He should "adjust his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, salute the feet of the Bhikkhus with his head, sit down squatting, raise his joined hands" and entreat the Order three times to confer initiation on him "out of compassion" [*Mahāvagga*, i, 29, 2]. Then a member of the Chapter other than the instructor formally moves the Resolution for initiation of the candidate and, with the permission of the Assembly, "asks him about the Disqualifications" and other requirements, and, on the answers being satisfactory, the Resolution is repeated three times and then declared as carried, the members expressing their assent by silence. At the conclusion of the ceremonies, the hour, date, and season of the ordination, together with the details of the assembly (*Saṅgīti*) are recorded and communicated to the newly ordained monk so that he may also know his spiritual age. Then he is carefully taught the four *Requisites* (*nissayā*) and the four *Interdicts* (*akaraṇīyāni*) of the monastic life. The four Requisites are: (1) eating of the food collected in the alms-bowl only (*piṇḍiyālopabhojana*); (2) wearing robes made of rags collected (*paṁsukūlachīvara*); (3) lodging at the foot of a tree (*rukkhamūlasenāsana*); and (4) using cow's urine as medicine (*pūtimuttabhesajja*). The monk was, however, permitted to accept better things as gifts from laymen.¹ The four Interdicts comprised (1) sexual intercourse, (2) theft, (3) taking life, (4) boasting of superhuman powers (a piece of interesting evidence pointing to the practice of religious swindling among the monastic orders of the times) [*cf.* *Chullav.*, v, 8].