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B01010301mahākhandhako (great section sutra)

English

with so-and-so as preceptor is agreeable, let him be silent; to whom it is not agreeable, let him speak. So-and-so has received full ordination from the Saṅgha, with so-and-so as preceptor. It is agreeable to the Saṅgha, therefore it is silent. 'Yes, I hold it thus.' 71. Now at that time, a certain bhikkhu, immediately after his full ordination, behaved improperly. The bhikkhus said to him, "Friend, do not do such a thing; it is not proper." He said, "I did not ask the venerable ones to ordain me. Why did you ordain me unasked?" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Bhikkhus, one should not ordain one who has not asked. Whoever ordains him incurs an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, bhikkhus, to ordain one who has asked. And thus, bhikkhus, should he be asked. The one seeking full ordination, having approached the Saṅgha, arranged his outer robe over one shoulder, bowed at the feet of the bhikkhus, squatted, raised his joined hands, and should say this: 'Venerable sirs, I ask the Saṅgha for full ordination. May the Saṅgha, venerable sirs, uplift me out of compassion.' A second time he should be asked. A third time he should be asked. A competent and capable bhikkhu should inform the Saṅgha: 72. "May the Saṅgha, venerable sirs, listen to me. This person of such-and-such a name is seeking full ordination from the venerable of such-and-such a name. This person of such-and-such a name asks the Saṅgha for full ordination with the preceptor of such-and-such a name. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha should ordain this person of such-and-such a name with the preceptor of such-and-such a name. This is the motion. "May the Saṅgha, venerable sirs, listen to me. This person of such-and-such a name is seeking full ordination from the venerable of such-and-such a name. This person of such-and-such a name asks the Saṅgha for full ordination with the preceptor of such-and-such a name. The Saṅgha ordains this person of such-and-such a name with the preceptor of such-and-such a name. To any venerable one for whom the full ordination of this person of such-and-such a name with the preceptor of such-and-such a name is agreeable, let him be silent; for whom it is not agreeable, let him speak. "A second time I speak on this matter... and a third time I speak on this matter.... "This person of such-and-such a name has been fully ordained by the Saṅgha with the preceptor of such-and-such a name. It is agreeable to the Saṅgha, therefore it is silent. Thus I hold it." 73. Now at that time At one time in Rājagaha a regular turn of excellent meals was established. Then it occurred to a certain brahmin: "These Sakyan ascetics are of pleasant habits, of pleasant conduct, they eat good food and sleep in sheltered beds. What if I were to go forth among the Sakyan ascetics?" Then that brahmin approached the bhikkhus and asked for ordination. The bhikkhus ordained him and gave him higher ordination. After he was ordained, the turn of meals ceased. The bhikkhus said to him: "Come now, friend, let us go for alms." He said: "I, friend, did not go forth for that reason, to go for alms. If you give me, I will eat; if you do not give me, I will disrobe." "For the sake of your belly, friend, did you go forth?" "Yes, friend." Those bhikkhus who were of few wishes... they complained, grumbled, criticized: "How can a bhikkhu go forth for the sake of his belly in such a well-proclaimed Dhamma and Discipline?" Those bhikkhus reported the matter to the Blessed One... "Is it true, bhikkhu, that you went forth for the sake of your belly?" "It is true, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked him... "How can you, foolish man, go forth for the sake of your belly in such a well-proclaimed Dhamma and Discipline? This, foolish man, is not for the conversion of the unconverted, nor for the increase of the converted..." Having rebuked him... having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the bhikkhus: "I allow, bhikkhus, that one who gives higher ordination should declare the four supports: Going forth is supported by food obtained by alms-round; therein, for life, effort should be made by you. Extra gains are: meals for the Sangha, meals by designation, invitations, ticket-meals, fortnightly meals, Uposatha meals, first-day-of-the-fortnight meals. Going forth is supported by robe made of rags; therein, for life, effort should be made by you. Extra gains are: linen, cotton, silk, wool. rag, hemp, rags. Relying on the root of a tree as a dwelling, you go forth; there, for as long as life lasts, effort should be made by you; extra gains are: a monastery, a half-yoke shaped dwelling, a mansion, a turreted house, a cave. Relying on putrid urine as medicine, you go forth; there, for as long as life lasts, effort should be made by you; extra gains are: ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, molasses.” The section on renunciation is finished. The fifth recitation section on the duties of a preceptor is finished. The Fifth Recitation Section 18. The Section on the Duties of a Teacher 74. Now at that time a certain young man approached the bhikkhus and asked for ordination. The bhikkhus informed him of the dependencies beforehand. He said this: “If, Venerables, you would inform me of the dependencies after I have gone forth, I would delight [I would delight]. But now, Venerables, I will not go forth; the dependencies are disgusting and repulsive to me.” They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Bhikkhus, the dependencies should not be informed beforehand. Whoever informs them, there is an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, Bhikkhus, that the dependencies be informed immediately after full ordination.” Now at that time bhikkhus gave full ordination in groups of two or three. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Bhikkhus, full ordination should not be given by a group of less than ten. Whoever gives full ordination, there is an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, Bhikkhus, that full ordination be given by a group of ten or more than ten.” 75. Now at that time bhikkhus gave full ordination to a co-resident after one year or two years. Even Venerable Upassena, son of Vaṅganta, gave full ordination to a co-resident after one year. Having spent the Rains, after two years, he took his one-year co-resident and approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. It is customary for the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, to exchange greetings with arriving bhikkhus. Then the Blessed One said to the Venerable Upasena, son of Vaṅganta: "Are you well, bhikkhu? Are you getting by? Did you arrive on the journey without much fatigue?" "We are well, Blessed One. We are getting by, Blessed One. We arrived on the journey without much fatigue, venerable sir." Tathāgatas ask even when they know, and do not ask even when they know. They ask when they know the time, and do not ask when they know the time. Tathāgatas ask what is connected with benefit, not what is not connected with benefit. For Tathāgatas, there is a barrier to what is not connected with benefit. In two ways, the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, question bhikkhus: "We will teach the Dhamma," or "We will lay down a training rule for the disciples." Then the Blessed One said to the Venerable Upasena, son of Vaṅganta: "How many years old are you, bhikkhu?" "I am two years old, Blessed One." "And this bhikkhu, how many years old is he?" "He is one year old, Blessed One." "What is this bhikkhu to you?" "He is my co-resident, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked him: "This is unsuitable, foolish man, unfitting, improper, unbecoming of a recluse, unallowable, not to be done. How can you, foolish man, who should be advised and instructed by others, think to advise and instruct another? Too quickly, foolish man, you have turned to abundance, that is, to forming a group. This, foolish man, is not for the conviction of the unconvicted, nor for the increase of conviction of the convinced." ...having rebuked him... ...having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the bhikkhus: "Monks, one who is less than ten years old should not be given the higher ordination. Whoever gives the higher ordination incurs an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, monks, to give the higher ordination to one who is ten years old or more than ten years old." 76. Now at that time, bhikkhus— "We are ten years old, we are ten years old"— being foolish and inexperienced, gave the higher ordination. Preceptors were seen to be foolish, and co-residents wise. Preceptors were seen to be inexperienced, and co-residents skilled. Preceptors were seen who are little learned, their pupils are much learned. Preceptors are seen to be foolish, their pupils are wise. And a certain one, formerly of another sect, when being taught the Dhamma by his preceptor, refuted the preceptor's view and returned to that very sect. Those monks who were of few desires (etc.) they complained, grumbled, and criticized – "How can monks – saying 'we are ten years, we are ten years' – ignorant and unskilled, give ordination?" Preceptors are seen to be ignorant, their pupils are learned; Preceptors are seen to be unskilled, their pupils are skilled; Preceptors are seen to be little learned, their pupils are much learned; Preceptors are seen to be foolish, their pupils are wise. Then those monks reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Is it true, monks, that monks – saying 'we are ten years, we are ten years' – ignorant and unskilled, give ordination? Preceptors are seen to be ignorant, their pupils are learned; Preceptors are seen to be unskilled, their pupils are skilled; Preceptors are seen to be little learned, their pupils are much learned; Preceptors are seen to be foolish, their pupils are wise?" "It is true, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them (etc.) "How can these foolish men, monks – saying 'we are ten years, we are ten years' – ignorant and unskilled, give ordination?"