Mahavogga 1.78

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Translated from the Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg (1881)

1. At that time the Bhikkhus, after having conferred the upasampadâ ordination on a certain Bhikkhu, left him alone and went away. Afterwards, as he went alone (to the Ârâma), he met on the way his former wife. She said to him: 'Have you now embraced the religious life?' (He replied): 'Yes, I have embraced the religious life.' 'It is difficult to persons who have embraced religious life, to obtain sexual intercourse; come, let us have intercourse.' He practised intercourse with her, and, in consequence, came late (to the Arâma). The Bhikkhus said: 'How is it, friend, that you are so late?'

2. Then that Bhikkhu told the whole matter to the Bhikkhus. The Bhikkhus told it to the Blessed One.

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you give a companion to a newly-ordained Bhikkhu, and that you tell him the four Interdictions:

'"A Bhikkhu who has received the upasampadâ ordination ought to abstain from all sexual intercourse even with an animal. A Bhikkhu who practises sexual intercourse is no Samana and no follower of the Sakyaputta. As a man whose head is cut off, cannot live any longer with his trunk alone, thus a Bhikkhu who practises sexual intercourse is no Samana and no follower of the Sakyaputta. Abstain from doing so as long as your life lasts.

3. '"A Bhikkhu who has received the upasampadâ ordination, ought to abstain from taking what is not given to him, and from theft, even of a blade of grass. A Bhikkhu who takes what is not given to him, or steals it, if it is a pâda (i.e. a quarter of a kârshâpana), or of the value of a pâda or worth more than a pâda, is no Samana and no follower of the Sakyaputta. As a sear leaf loosed from its stalk cannot become green again, thus a Bhikkhu who takes, &c. Abstain from doing so as long as your life lasts.

4. '"A Bhikkhu who has received the upasampadâ ordination, ought not intentionally to destroy the life of any being down to a worm or an ant. A Bhikkhu who intentionally kills a human being, down to procuring abortion, is no Samana and no follower of the Sakyaputta. As a great stone which is broken in two, cannot be reunited, thus a Bhikkhu who intentionally, &c. Abstain from doing so as long as your life lasts.

5. '"A Bhikkhu who has received the upasampadâ ordination, ought not to attribute to himself any superhuman condition, and not to say even: 'I find delight in sojourning in an empty place.' A Bhikkhu who with bad intention and out of covetousness attributes to himself a superhuman condition, which he has not, and which he is not possessed of, a state of ghâna (mystic meditation), or one of the vimokkhas, or one of the samâdhis (states of self-concentration), or one of the samâpattis (the attainment of the four ghânas and four of the eight vimokkhas), or one of the Paths (of sanctification), or one of the Fruits thereof, is no Samana and no follower of the Sakyaputta. As a palm tree of which the top sprout has been cut off, cannot grow again, thus a Bhikkhu who with bad intention, &c. Abstain from doing so as long as your life lasts."'

End of the four Interdicts.