The First Khandhaka Sections 36–40
Admission to the Order of Bhikkhus

The First Khandhaka is the first part of the Mahavagga.
The Mahavagga is the first part of the Khandhaka.
The Khandhaka is the second part of the Vinaya Pitaka ("Basket of Discipline").
The Vinaya Pitaka is the first part of the Tipitaka ("Three Baskets"), a.k.a. the Pali Canon.
The Tipitaka is the major religious text of Theravada Buddhism.

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The First Khandhaka (Pali for "Expositions") is quite a long piece (the longest of the four Khandhakas in the Mahavagga), divided into seventy-nine parts, containing stories concerning the origin of the rules of the Patimokkha by giving an account of what the Buddha did following his enlightenment. This excerpt contains more rules about the pabbaggâ ordination and the institution of upagghâyas (teachers) and saddhivihârikas (students).

The text was translated by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg in 1881; the translation is in the public domain. It was taken from http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe13/index.htm. Text in [square brackets] (and all pipelinks) was added and does not appear in the translation; text in (parentheses) does appear in the translation.


36

1 At that time the Bhikkhus whose âkariyas and upagghâyas were gone away, or had returned to the world, or had died, or were gone over to a (schismatic) faction, were not acquainted with (the rules about) the cessation of their nissayas [literally: "they did not know how to decide whether their nissaya was destroyed or not"]. They told this thing to the Blessed One.

'There are five cases of cessation of a nissaya, O Bhikkhus, between (saddhivihârika and) upagghâya: When the upagghâya is gone away, or he has returned to the world, or has died, or is gone over to a (schismatic) faction; the fifth case is that of order (given by the upagghâya to the saddhivihârika [i.e. the saddhivihârika was turned away]). These, O Bhikkhus, are the five cases of the cessation of a nissaya between (saddhivihârika and) upagghâya.

'There are six cases of cessation of a nissaya, O Bhikkhus, between (antevâsika and) âkariya: When the âkariya is gone away, &c.; the fifth case is that of order (given by the âkariya to the antevâsika); or (sixthly) when the âkariya and the upagghâya have come together at the same place. These, O Bhikkhus, are the six cases of cessation of a nissaya between (antevâsika and) âkariya.

2 'In five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu should not confer the upasampadâ ordination, nor give a nissaya, nor ordain a novice: When he does not possess full perfection in what belongs to moral practices; or does not possess full perfection in what belongs to self-concentration; or does not possess full perfection in what belongs to wisdom; or does not possess full perfection in what belongs to emancipation; or does not possess full perfection in what belongs to knowledge and insight into emancipation. In these five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu should not confer the upasampadâ ordination, nor give a nissaya, nor ordain a novice.

3 'In five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu may confer the upasampadâ ordination, give a nissaya, and ordain a novice: When he possesses full perfection in what belongs to moral practices, &c. In these five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu may, &c.

4 'And also in other five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu should not confer, &c.: When he does not possess for himself full perfection in what belongs to moral practices and is not able to help others to full perfection in what belongs to moral practices; or does not possess for himself full perfection in what belongs to self-concentration, and is not able to help others to full perfection in what belongs to self-concentration, &c.

5 'In five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu may confer, &c.: When he possesses for himself full perfection in what belongs to moral practices, and is able to help others to full perfection, &c.

6 'And also in other five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu should not confer, &c.: When he is unbelieving, shameless, fearless of sinning, indolent, forgetful. In these five cases, &c.

7 'In five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu may confer, &c.: When he is believing, modest, fearful of sinning, strenuous, of ready memory. In these five cases, &c.

8 'And also in other five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu should not confer, &c.: When as regards moral practices he is guilty of moral transgressions; or when as regards the rules of conduct he is guilty of transgressions in his conduct; or when as regards belief he is guilty of heresy; or when he is unlearned; or when he is foolish. In these five cases, &c.

9 'In five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu may confer, &c.: When as regards moral practices he is not guilty of moral transgressions, &c.; when he is learned; and when he is wise. In these five cases, &c.

10 'And also in other five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu should not confer, &c.: When he is not able to nurse or to get nursed an antevâsika or a saddhivihârika when he is sick, to appease him or to cause him to be appeased when discontent with religious life has sprung up within him, to dispel or to cause to be dispelled according to the Dhamma doubts of conscience which have arisen in his mind; when he does not know what is an offence; or does not know how to atone for an offence. In these five cases, &c.

11 'In five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu may confer, &c.: When he is able (&c., down to:); when he knows what is an offence; and knows how to atone for an offence. In these five cases, &c.

12 'And also in other five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu should not confer, &c.: When he is not able to train an antevâsika or a saddhivihârika in the precepts of proper conduct, to educate him in the elements of morality, to instruct him in what pertains to the Dhamma, to instruct him in what pertains to the Vinaya, to discuss or to make another discuss according to the Dhamma a false doctrine that might arise. In these five cases, &c.

13 'In five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu may confer, &c.: When he is able, &c.

14 'And also in other five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu should not confer, &c.: When he does not know what is an offence; or does not know what is no offence; or does not know what is a light offence; or does not know what is a grave offence; when the two Pâtimokkhas are not perfectly known to him in their entirety, with all their divisions and their whole course, and with the entire discussion according to the single rules and to the single parts of each rule. In these five cases, &c.

15 'In five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu may confer, &c.: When he knows, &c.

16 'And also in other five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu should not confer, &c.: When he does not know what is an offence; or does not know what is no offence; or does not know what is a light offence; or does not know what is a grave offence; or when he has not completed the tenth year (after his upasampadâ). In these five cases, &c.

17 'In five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu may confer, &c.: When he knows (&c., down to:); when he has completed ten years or more than ten years (after his upasampadâ). In these five cases, &c.'

End of the sixteen times five cases concerning the admissibility of upasampadâ.

37

'In six cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu should not confer, &c.' [this is identical to 1st Khandhaka 36:2–15, except the sixth case ("When he has not completed the tenth year (after his upasampadâ)" and "When he has completed ten years or more than ten years (after his upasampadâ)") is added at the end of the five.]

End of the sixteen times six cases concerning the admissibility of upasampadâ.

38

1 At that time that Bhikkhu who, having formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, had (by reasoning) put to silence his upagghâya, when he remonstrated with him according to the Dhamma, and had returned to that same Titthiya school, came back again and asked the Bhikkhus for the upasampadâ ordination. The Bhikkhus told, &c.

'That Bhikkhu, O Bhikkhus, who having formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, has put to silence his upagghâya when he remonstrated with him according to the Dhamma, and has returned to that same Titthiya school, must not receive the upasampadâ ordination, if he comes back. On other persons, O Bhikkhus, who have formerly belonged to Titthiya schools and desire to receive the pabbaggâ and upasampadâ ordinations in this doctrine and discipline, you ought to impose a parivâsa (a probation-time) of four months.

2 'And you ought, O Bhikkhus, to impose it in this way: Let him (who desires to receive the ordination) first cut off his hair and beard; let him put on yellow robes, adjust his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, salute the feet of the Bhikkhus (with his head), and sit down squatting; then let him raise his joined hands, and tell him to say: "I take my refuge in the Buddha, I take my refuge in the Dhamma, I take my refuge in the Sangha. And for the second time, &c. And for the third time take I my refuge in the Buddha, and for the third time take I my refuge in the Dhamma, and for the third time take I my refuge in the Sangha."

3 'Let that person, O Bhikkhus, who has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, approach the Sangha, 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 say: "I, N. N., reverend Sirs, who have formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, desire to receive the upasampadâ ordination in this doctrine and discipline, and ask the Sangha, reverend Sirs, for a parivâsa of four months." Let him ask thus a second time. Let him ask thus a third time.

'Then let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following ñatti before the Samgha: "Let the Samgha, reverend Sirs, hear me, This person N, N ., who has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, desires to receive the upasampadâ ordination in this doctrine and discipline, He asks the Samgha for a parivâsa of four months. If the Samgha is ready, let the Samgha impose on N. N., who has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, a parivâsa of four months, This is the ñatti.

4 ' "Let the Samgha, reverend Sirs, hear me, This person N. N., who has, &c. He asks the Sangha for a parivâsa of four months, The Samgha imposes on N. N., who has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, a parivâsa of four months. Let any one of the venerable brethren who is in favour of imposing a parivâsa of four months on N. N., who has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, be silent, and any one who is not in favour of it, speak, A parivâsa of four months has been imposed by the Sangha on N. N., who has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, The Samgha is in favour of it, therefore it is silent. Thus I understand."

5 'And this, O Bhikkhus, is the way in which a person that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, succeeds or fails in satisfying (the Bhikkhus and obtaining upasampadâ when the probation-time is over).

'What is the way, a Bhikkhus, in which a person that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, fails in satisfying (the Bhikkhus)?

'In case, O.Bhikkhus, the person that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, enters the village too early, and comes back (to the Vihâra) too late, thus, O Bhikkhus, a person that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, fails in satisfying (the Bhikkhus).

'And further, O Bhikkhus, in case the person that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, frequents the society of harlots, or of widows, or of adult girls, or of eunuchs, or of Bhikkhunîs, thus also, O Bhikkhus, a person that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, fails in satisfying (the Bhikkhus).

6 'And further, O Bhikkhus, in case the person that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, does not show himself skilled in the various things his fellow Bhikkhus have to do, not diligent, not able to consider how those things are to be done, not able to do things himself, not able to give directions to others, thus also, O Bhikkhus, &c.

'And further, O Bhikkhus, in case the person that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, does not show keen zeal, when the doctrine is preached to him or when questions are put, in what belongs to morality, to contemplation, and to wisdom, thus also, O Bhikkhus, &c.

7 'And further, O Bhikkhus, in case the person that has formerIy belonged to a Titthiya school, becomes angry, displeased, and dissatisfied, when people speak against the teacher, the belief, the opinions, the persuasion, the creed of the school he formerly belonged to; and is pleased, glad, and satisfied, when people speak against the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha; or he is pleased, glad, and satisfied, when people speak in praise of the teacher, &c.; and becomes angry, displeased, dissatisfied, when people speak in praise of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha; this, O Bhikkhus, is a decisive moment for the failure of a person that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school (in obtaining admission to the Sangha).

'Thus, O Bhikkhus, a person that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, fails in satisfying (the Bhikkhus). When a person comes, O Bhikkhus, that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, and has thus failed in satisfying (the Bhikkhus), the upasampadâ ordination should not be conferred on him.

8–10 'And what is the way, O Bhikkhus, in which a person that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, succeeds in satisfying (the Bhikkhus)?

'In case, O Bhikkhus, the person that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, does not enter the village too early (&c., point by point the contrary of the preceding).

'When a person comes, O Bhikkhus, that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, and has thus succeeded in satisfying (the Bhikkhus), the upasampadâ ordination ought to be conferred on him.

11 'If a person, O Bhikkhus, that has formerly belonged to a Titthiya school, comes (to the Bhikkhus) naked, it is incumbent on his upagghâya to get a robe for him. If he comes with unshaven hair, the Sangha's permission ought to be asked for having his hair shaved.

'If fire-worshippers and Gatilas come to you, O Bhikkhus, they are to receive the upasampadâ ordination (directly), and no parivâsa is to be imposed on them. And for what reason? These, O Bhikkhus, hold the doctrine that actions receive their reward, and that our deeds have their result (according to their moral merit).

'If a Sakya by birth, O Bhikkhus, who has belonged to a Titthiya school, comes to you, he is to receive the upasampadâ ordination (directly), and no parivâsa is to be imposed on him. This exceptional privilege, O Bhikkhus, I grant to my kinsmen.'

Here ends the exposition on the ordination of persons that have formerly belonged to Titthiya schools.

End of the seventh Bhânavâra.

39

1 At that time these five diseases prevailed among the people of Magadha:—leprosy, boils, dry leprosy, consumption, and fits. The people who were affected with these five diseases went to Gîvaka Komârabhakka [physician of King Bimbisâra and said: 'pray, doctor, cure us.'

'I have too many duties', Sirs, and am too occupied. I have to treat the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisâra, and the royal seraglio, and the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at their head. I cannot cure you.

'All that we possess shall be yours, doctor, and we will be your slaves; pray, doctor, cure us.'

'I have too many duties, Sirs, &c.; I cannot cure you.'

2 Now those people thought: 'Indeed the precepts which these Sakyaputtiya Samanas keep and the life they live are commodious; they have good meals and lie down on beds protected from the wind. What if we were to embrace the religious life among the Sakyaputtiya Samanas: then the Bhikkhus will nurse us, and Gîvaka Komârabhakka, will cure us.'

Thus these persons went to the Bhikkhus and asked them for the pabbaggâ ordination; the Bhikkhus conferred on them the pabbaggâ and upasampadâ ordinations; and the Bhikkhus nursed them, and Gîvaka Komârabhakka cured them.

3 At that time the Bhikkhus, who had to nurse many sick Bhikkhus, began to solicit (lay people) with many demands and many requests: 'Give us food for the sick; give us food for the tenders of the sick; give us medicine for the sick.' And also Gîvaka Komârabhakka, who had to treat many sick Bhikkhus, neglected some of his duties to the king.

4 Now one day a man who was affected with the five diseases went to Gîvaka Komârabhakka and said: 'Pray, doctor, cure me.'

'I have too many duties, Sir, and am too occupied; I have to treat the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisâra, and the royal seraglio, and the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at their head; I cannot cure you.'

'All that I possess shall be yours, doctor, and I will be your slave; pray doctor, cure me.'

'I have too many duties, Sir, &c.; I cannot cure you.

5 Now that man thought: 'Indeed the precepts which these Sakyaputtiya Samanas keep (&c., down to:): then the Bhikkhus will nurse me, and Gîvaka Komârabhakka will cure me. When I have become free from sickness, then I will return to the world.'

Thus that man went to the Bhikkhus and asked them for the pabbaggâ ordination; the Bhikkhus conferred on him the pabbaggâ and upasampadâ ordinations; and the Bhikkhus nursed him, and Gîvaka Komârabhakka cured him. When he had become free from sickness, he returned to the world. Now Gîvaka Komârabhakka saw this person that had returned to the world; and when he saw him he asked that person: 'Had you not embraced the religious life, Sir, among the Bhikkhus?'

'Yes, doctor.'

'And why have you adopted such a course, Sir?'

Then that man told Gîvaka Komârabhakka the whole matter.

6 Then Gîvaka Komârabhakka was annoyed, murmured, and became angry: 'How can the venerable brethren confer the pabbaggâ ordination on a person affected with the five diseases?'

And Gîvaka Komârabhakka went to the place where the Blessed One was; having approached him and having respectfully saluted the Blessed One, he sat down near him. Sitting near him, Gîvaka Komârabhakka said to the Blessed One: 'Pray, Lord, let their reverences not confer the pabbaggâ ordination on persons affected with the five diseases.'

7 Then the Blessed One taught, incited, animated, and gladdened Gîvaka Komârabhakka by religious discourse; and Gîvaka Komârabhakka, having been taught . . . . and gladdened by the Blessed One by religious discourse, rose from his seat, respectfully saluted the Blessed One, and passing round him with his right side towards him, went away.

In consequence of that and on this occasion the Blessed One, after having delivered a religious discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, who is affected with the five diseases, receive the pabbaggâ ordination. He who confers the pabbaggâ ordination (on such a person), is guilty of a dukkata offence.'

40

1 At that time the border provinces (of the kingdom) of the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisâra were agitated. Then the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisâra gave order to the officers who were at the head of the army: 'Well now, go and search through the border provinces: The officers who were at the head of the army accepted the order of the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisâra (by saying), 'Yes, Your Majesty.'

2 Now many distinguished warriors thought: 'We who go (to war) and find our delight in fighting, do evil and produce great demerit. Now what shall we do that we may desist from evil-doing and may do good?'

Then these warriors thought: 'These Sakyaputtiya Samanas lead indeed a virtuous, tranquil, holy life; they speak the truth; they keep the precepts of morality, and are endowed with all virtues. If we could obtain pabbaggâ with the Sakyaputtiya Samanas, we should desist from evil-doing and do good.'

Thus these warriors went to the Bhikkhus and asked them for the pabbaggâ ordination; the Bhikkhus conferred on them: the pabbaggâ and upasanipadâ ordinations.

3 The officers at the head of the army asked the royal soldiers: 'Why, how is it that the warriors N. N. and N. N. are nowhere to be seen?'

'The warriors N. N. and N. N., Lords, have embraced religious life among the Bhikkhus.'

Then the officers at the head of the army were annoyed, murmured, and became angry: 'How can the Sakyaputtiya Samanas ordain persons in the royal service?'

The officers who were at the head of the army told the thing to the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisâra. And the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisâra asked the officers of justice: 'Tell me, my good Sirs, what punishment does he deserve who ordains a person in the royal service?'

'The upagghâya, Your Majesty, should be beheaded; to him who recites (the kammavâkâ), the tongue should be torn out; to those who form the chapter, half of their ribs should be broken.'

4 Then the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisâra went to the place where the Blessed One was; having approached him and having respectfully saluted the Blessed One, he sat down near him. Sitting near him the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisâra said to the Blessed One: 'Lord, there are unbelieving kings who are disinclined (to the faith); these might harass the Bhikkhus even on trifling occasions. Pray, Lord, let their reverences not confer the pabbaggâ ordination on persons in royal service.'

Then the Blessed One taught (&c., see [1st Khandhaka 39:7] down to:), thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, who is in the royal service, receive the pabbaggâ ordination. He who confers the pabbaggâ ordination (on such a person), is guilty of a dukkata offence.

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