Tipitaka >> Vinaya Pitaka >> Mahavagga >> First Khandaka >> 1.28
Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg
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THE MAHAVAGGA
FIRST KHANDHAKA(THE FORMATION OF THE ORDER OF BHIKKHUS)
Chapter-28 : Ordination Even For a Spoonful of Donation; Revision of Ordination Rules.
1. At that time a certain Brahmana(priest) came to the Bhikkhus and asked them for the pabbajja ordination. The Bhikkhus were not willing to ordain him. As he did not obtain the pabbajja ordination from the Bhikkhus, he became emaciated, lean, discoloured, more and more livid, and the veins became visible all over his body.
And the Lord Buddha saw this Brahmana, who had become emaciated, &c. When he had seen him, he said to the Bhikkhus: 'How is it, O Bhikkhus(Monks), that this Brahmana has become emaciated, &c.'
'This Brahmana, Lord, came to the Bhikkhus(Monks) and asked them for the pabbajja ordination (&c., as above, down to:), and the veins became visible all over his body.'
2. Then the Lord Buddha said to the Bhikkhus: 'Now, O Bhikkhus(Monks), who remembers anything about this Brahmana?'
When he had spoken thus, the venerabIe Sariputta said to the Lord Buddha: 'I remember something, Lord, about this Brahmana(priest).'
'And what is it you remember, Sariputta, about this Brahmana?'
'This Brahmana, Lord, one day, when I went through Rajagaha for alms, ordered a spoonfuI of food to be given to me; this is what I remember, Lord, about this Brahmana.'
3. 'Good, good, Sariputta; pious men, Sariputta, are grateful and remember what has been done to them. Therefore, Sariputta, confer you the pabbajja and upasampada ordinations on that Brahmana.'
'Lord, how shall I confer the pabbajja and upasampada ordinations on this Brahmana?'
Then the Lord Buddha on this occasion, after having delivered a dhamma discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'I abolish, O Bhikkhus(Monks), from this day the upasampada ordination by the threefold declaration of taking refuge, which I had prescribed. I prescribe, O Bhikkhus(Monks), that you confer the upasampada ordination by a formal act of the Order in which the announcement (natti) is followed by three questions.
4. 'And you ought, O Bhikkhus(Monks), to confer the upasampada ordination in this way: Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following natti(motion) before the Sangha:
'Let the Sangha, reverend Sirs, hear me. This person N. N., desires to receive the upasampada ordination from the venerable N. N. (i.e. with the venerable N. N. as his upajjhaya). If the Sangha is ready, let the Sangha confer on N. N. the upasampada ordination with N. N. as upajjhaya. This is the natti(motion).
5, 6. 'Let the Sangha, reverend Sirs, hear me. This person N. N. desires to receive the upasampada ordination from the venerable N. N. The Sangha confers on N. N. the upasampada ordination with N. N. as upajjhaya. Let any one of the venerable brethren who is in favour of the upasampada ordination of N. N. with N. N. as upajjhaya, be silent, and any one who is not in favour of it, speak.
'And for the second time I thus speak to you: Let the Sangha (&c., as before).
'And for the third time I thus speak to you: Let the Sangha, &c.
'N. N. has received the upasampada ordination from the Sangha with N. N. as upajjhaya. The Sangha is in favour of it, therefore it is silent. Thus I understand.'
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