English
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. "This, monks, is not for the conversion of the unconverted (etc.) having rebuked them (etc.) and having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks – 'Monks, one who is ignorant and unskilled should not give ordination.'" "Whoever gives ordination, there is an offense of wrong-doing." "I allow, monks, that a skilled and capable monk, of ten years or more than ten years, may give ordination." ti. 77. Now at that time, when the bhikkhus’ preceptors had departed, or had gone astray, or had passed away, or had gone over to another sect, they were without teachers, unadmonished, uninstructed. They went for alms ill-clad, ill-robed, without proper deportment. They offered a plate of leftovers to people eating their meal, on top of their food, on top of their snacks, on top of their savories, on top of their drinks. They themselves requested soup and rice and ate it. In the refectory, they were noisy, very noisy. People complained, grumbled, and criticized: “How can these Sakyan recluses go for alms ill-clad, ill-robed, without proper deportment? How can they offer a plate of leftovers to people eating their meal, on top of their food, on top of their snacks, on top of their savories, on top of their drinks? How can they themselves request soup and rice and eat it? How can they be noisy, very noisy, in the refectory, just like brahmins at a brahmin feast?” The bhikkhus heard those people complaining, grumbling, and criticizing… Then those bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Is it true, bhikkhus…?” “It is true, Blessed One.” …Having rebuked them, and given a discourse on the Dhamma, he addressed the bhikkhus: “I allow, bhikkhus, a teacher. A teacher, bhikkhus, should establish a mind like a father towards his pupil. A pupil should establish a mind like a son towards his teacher. Thus, living with mutual respect, reverence, and common conduct, they will attain growth, increase, and fullness in this Dhamma and Discipline. I allow, bhikkhus, to dwell in dependence for ten years, and to give dependence after ten years. And thus, bhikkhus, should a teacher be taken. Having put the upper robe over one shoulder, having bowed at the feet, having squatted down, having raised the joined hands, he should be spoken to thus: ‘Teacher, Be my, venerable sir, I will stay depending on the venerable one; Be my teacher, venerable sir, I will stay depending on the venerable one; Be my teacher, venerable sir, I will stay depending on the venerable one. Whether by saying 'Good!' or 'Quick!' or 'Suitable!' or 'Proper!' or 'Prepare it pleasingly!' he makes known by body, he makes known by speech, he makes known by body and speech, the teacher is accepted. He does not make known by body, he does not make known by speech, he does not make known by body and speech, the teacher is not accepted. By a pupil, monks, one should behave properly towards the teacher. This is the proper behavior there – Rising early, removing the sandals, arranging the upper robe over one shoulder, a tooth-stick should be given, face-water should be given, a seat should be prepared. If there is gruel, washing the bowl, the gruel should be offered. After he has drunk the gruel, giving water, taking the bowl, lowering it, washing it well without resentment, it should be put away. When the teacher has risen, the seat should be removed. If that place is dirty, that place should be swept. If the teacher wishes to enter the village, a lower robe should be given, the returned lower robe should be received, a waist-band should be given, making them neat, the outer robes should be given, washing it, a bowl with water should be given. If the teacher desires a junior companion, covering the three circles, wearing the lower robe neatly, tying the waist-band, making them neat, putting on the outer robes, unfastening the knot, washing and taking the bowl, one should be the teacher's junior companion. One should not go too far, one should not go too near, what is offered into the bowl should be received. One should not interrupt the teacher speaking. The teacher speaking near an offense should be stopped. Returning, coming first, a seat should be prepared, foot-water, a foot-stool, a foot-mat. should be put away, going forth, bowl and robe should be received, a returning-robe should be given, a robe should be received. If the robe is wet, it should be aired in the sun for a moment, and the robe should not be left in the sun. The robe should be folded. When folding the robe, one should lift a corner four fingers high and fold the robe – so that there is no crease in the middle. A waist-band should be made in the fold. If there is almsfood, and the teacher wishes to eat, water should be given, and the almsfood should be offered. The teacher should be asked about drinking water. After he has eaten, water should be given, the bowl should be received, lowered, washed carefully without clattering, dried of water, and aired in the sun for a moment, and the bowl should not be left in the sun. The bowl and robe should be put away. When putting away the bowl, one should take the bowl with one hand, and with the other hand, touch the underside of the bed or the underside of the stool, and put away the bowl. And the bowl should not be put on the bare ground. When putting away the robe, one should take the robe with one hand, and with the other hand, wipe the robe-pole or robe-rope, make one end outward and the other end inward, and put away the robe. When the teacher has risen, the seat should be removed, foot-water, foot-stool, foot-mat should be put away. If that place is dirty, that place should be swept. If the teacher wishes to bathe, the bath should be prepared. If cold water is desired, cold water should be prepared. If hot water is desired, hot water should be prepared. If the teacher wishes to enter the hot-room, powder should be kneaded, clay should be moistened, taking the hot-room stool, one should go behind the teacher, give the hot-room stool, receive the robe, put it aside, give the powder, give the clay. If one is able, one should enter the hot-room. Entering the hot-bath house, one should smear the face with clay, and covering oneself front and back, one should enter the hot-bath house. One should not sit pressing against elder bhikkhus. New bhikkhus should not be kept away from seats. In the hot-bath house, service should be rendered to the teacher. Leaving the hot-bath house, taking the hot-bath stool, and covering oneself front and back, one should leave the hot-bath house. Even in the water, service should be rendered to the teacher. Having bathed, one should first get out, dry one's own body, put on robes, and wipe the water from the teacher's body. The inner robe should be given, the outer robe should be given. Taking the hot-bath stool, one should come first, and arrange a seat. Foot-water, a foot-stool, and a foot-mat should be placed nearby. The teacher should be asked for drinking water. If he wishes to recite, he should be made to recite. If he wishes to question, he should be questioned. In whichever dwelling the teacher resides, if that dwelling is dirty, if one is able, it should be cleaned. When cleaning the dwelling, first the bowl and robes should be taken out and placed aside. The sitting mat and cover should be taken out and placed aside. The cushion and pillow should be taken out and placed aside. The bed, lowering it carefully, without striking it, without knocking it against the door frame, should be taken out and placed aside. The stool, lowering it carefully, without striking it, without knocking it against the door frame, should be taken out and placed aside. The bed-legs should be taken out and placed aside. The spittoon should be taken out and placed aside. The back-rest board should be taken out and placed aside. The floor covering, noting how it was laid, should be taken out and placed aside. If there is a cobweb in the dwelling, the ceiling should first be swept down. The corners of the window frames... should be wiped. If a wall plastered with red ochre is dirty, it should be wiped by wetting and wringing out a cloth. If a black-colored floor is dirty, it should be wiped by wetting and wringing out a cloth. If the floor is unplastered, it should be sprinkled with water and swept – so that the monastery is not troubled by dust. Rubbish should be collected and thrown aside. A floor mat should be aired, cleaned, shaken out, and put back in its proper place. Bed legs should be aired, wiped, and put back in their proper place. A bed should be aired, cleaned, shaken out, lowered carefully without knocking, without hitting the door frame, and put back in its proper place. A chair should be aired, cleaned, shaken out, lowered carefully without knocking, without hitting the door frame, and put back in its proper place. A cushion cover should be aired, cleaned, shaken out, and put back in its proper place. A sitting mat should be aired, cleaned, shaken out, and put back in its proper place. A spittoon should be aired, wiped, and put back in its proper place. A backrest board should be aired, wiped, and put back in its proper place. Bowl and robes should be put away. When putting away the bowl, one should take the bowl with one hand, and touch the underside of the bed or chair with the other hand, then put away the bowl. The bowl should not be placed directly on the ground. When putting away the robe, one should take the robe with one hand, and wipe the robe-pole or robe-rope with the other hand, then fold the robe with the outer end inwards, and put away the robe. If dusty winds blow from the east, the eastern windows should be closed.