51
At that time a believing, pious family, who devoted themselves to the (especial) service of the venerable Ânanda, had died of pestilence. Only two boys were left; these, when seeing Bhikkhus, ran up to them according to their old custom, but the Bhikkhus turned them away. When they were turned away by the Bhikkhus, they cried. Now the venerable Ânanda thought: 'The Blessed One has forbidden us to confer the pabbaggâ ordination on a boy under fifteen years of age, and these boys are under fifteen years of age. What can be done in order that these boys may not perish?' And the venerable Ânanda told this thing to the Blessed One.
'Are these boys able, Ânanda, to scare crows?'
'They are, Lord.'
In consequence of that and on this occasion the Blessed One, after having delivered a religious discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to confer the pabbaggâ ordination on crow-keeper boys even under fifteen years of age.'
52
At that time the venerable Upananda, of the Sakya tribe, had two novices, Kandaka and Mahaka; these committed sodomy with each other. The Bhikkhus were annoyed, &c.: 'How can novices abandon themselves to such bad conduct?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One, &c.
'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, ordain two novices. He who does, is guilty of a dukkata offence.' [What a different treatment of sodomy than in many other religious texts! Even, this rule is modified to be less strict, in 1st Khandhaka 55.]
53
1 At that time the Blessed One dwelt at Râgagaha during the rainy season, and remained at the same place during winter and summer. The people were annoyed, &c.: 'The (four) regions are . . . . [the word omitted here is "âhundarikâ" and is untranslated] and covered by darkness to the Sakyaputtiya Samanas; they cannot discern the (four) regions.' Some Bhikkhus heard, &c.
2 Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Ânanda: 'Go, Ânanda, take a key and tell the Bhikkhus in every cell: "Friends, the Blessed One wishes to go forth to Dakkhinâgiri. Let any one of the venerable brethren who thinks fit, come to him."'
The venerable Ânanda accepted this order of the Blessed One (by saying), 'Yes, Lord,' took a key, and said to the Bhikkhus in every cell: 'Friends, the Blessed One,' &c.
3 The Bhikkhus replied: 'Friend Ânanda, the Blessed One has prescribed that Bhikkhus are to live (the first) ten years in dependence (on their âkariyas and upagghâyas), and that he who has completed his tenth year, may give a nissaya himself. Now if we go there, we shall be obliged to take a nissaya there; then we shall stay there for a short time, then we must go back again and take a new nissaya. If our âkariyas and upagghâyas go, we will go also; if our âkariyas and upagghâyas do not go, we will not go either. Otherwise our light-mindedness, friend Ânanda, will become manifest.'
4 Thus the Blessed One went forth to Dakkhinâgiri followed only by a few Bhikkhus. And the Blessed One, after having dwelt at Dakkhinâgiri as long as he thought fit, went back to Râgagaha again.
Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Ânanda: 'How is it, Ânanda, that the perfect One has gone forth to Dakkhinâgiri with so few Bhikkhus?'
Then the venerable Ânanda told the thing to the Blessed One.
In consequence of that and on this occasion the Blessed One, after having delivered a religious discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that a learned, competent Bhikkhu lives five years in dependence (on his âkariya and upagghâya), an unlearned one all his life.
5 'In five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu should not live without a nissaya (i.e. independent of âkariya and upagghâya): when he does not possess full perfection in what belongs to moral practices (&c., as in [1st Khandhaka 36:2]). In these five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu should not live without a nlssaya.
'In five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu may live without a nissaya: when he possesses full perfection in what belongs to moral practices (&c., as in [1st Khandhaka 36:3]). In these five cases, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu may live without a nissaya.
6–13 'And also in other five cases, &c.' [see 1st Khandhaka 36:6–7, 8–9, 14–15, 16–17; 37:1–2, 5–6, 7–8, 13–14]
End of the eighth Bhânavâra, which is called the Abhayuvara Bhanavara|Abhayûvara Bhânavâra].
54
1 Then the Blessed One, after having resided at Râgagaha as long as he thought fit, went forth to Kapilavatthu. Wandering from place to place he came to Kapilavatthu. There the Blessed One dwelt in the Sakka country, near Kapilavatthu, in the Nigrodhârâma (Banyan Grove).
And in the forenoon the Blessed One, having put on his under-robes, took his alms-bowl and with his kîvara on went to the residence of the Sakka Suddhodana (his father). Having gone there, he sat down on a seat laid out for him.
Then the princess, who was the mother of Râhula [the Buddha's former wife], said to young Râhula: 'This is your father, Râhula; go and ask him for your inheritance.'
2 Then young Râhula went to the place where the Blessed One was; having approached him, he stationed himself before the Blessed One (and said): 'Your shadow, Samana, is a place of bliss.'
Then the Blessed One rose from his seat and went away, and young Râhula followed the Blessed One from behind and said: 'Give me my inheritance, Samana; give me my inheritance, Samana.'
Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Sâriputta: 'Well, Sâriputta, confer the pabbaggâ ordination on young Râhula.' (Sâriputta replied): 'How shall I confer, Lord, the pabbaggâ ordination on young Râhula?'
3 In consequence of that and on this occasion the Blessed One, after having delivered a religious discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, the pabbaggâ ordination of novices by the threefold declaration of taking refuge.
'And you ought, O Bhikkhus, to confer the pabbaggâ ordination (on a novice) in this way: Let him first have his hair and beard cut off; 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, &c."
'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, the pabbaggâ ordination of novices by this threefold declaration of taking refuge.'
Thus the venerable Sâriputta conferred the pabbaggâ ordination on young Râhula.
4 Then the Sakka Suddhodana 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 Sakka Suddhodana said to the Blessed One: 'Lord, I ask one boon of the Blessed One.' (The Buddha replied): 'The perfect Ones, Gotama, are above granting boons (before they know what they are) ["granting a boon" (or "vara") is a common phrase among princes to make a promise to give someone whatever they ask for].' (Suddhodana said): 'Lord, it is a proper and unobjectionable demand.' 'Speak, Gotama.'
5 'Lord, when the Blessed One gave up the world, it was a great pain to me; so it was when Nanda did the same; my pain was excessive when Râhula too did so. The love for a son, Lord, cuts into the skin; having cut into the skin, it cuts into the hide; having cut into the hide, it cuts into the flesh, . . . . the ligaments, . . . . the bones; having cut into the bones, it reaches the marrow and dwells in the marrow. Pray, Lord, let their reverences not confer the pabbaggâ ordination on a son without his father's and mother's permission.'
Then the Blessed One taught the Sakka Suddhodana (&c., see [1st Khandhaka 39:7]).
'Let no son, O Bhikkhus, receive the pabbaggâ ordination without his father's and mother's permission. He who confers the pabbaggâ ordination (on a son without that permission), is guilty of a dukkata offence.'
55
Then the Blessed One, after having resided at Kapilavatthu as long as he thought fit, went forth to Sâvatthi. Wandering from place to place he came to Sâvatthi. There the Blessed One dwelt at Sâvatthi, in the Getavana, the Ârâma of Anâthapindika.
At that time a family who devoted themselves to the (especial) service of the venerable Sâriputta sent a boy to the venerable Sâriputta (with this message): 'Might the Thera ["elder"] confer the pabbaggâ ordination on this boy.' Now the venerable Sâriputta thought: 'The Blessed One has established the rule that no one may ordain two novices, and I have already one novice, Râhula. Now what am I to do?' He told the thing to the Blessed One.
'I allow, O Bhikkhus, a learned, competent Bhikkhu to ordain two novices, or to ordain as many novices as he is able to administer exhortation and instruction to.'