English
'We do not know,' and seeing, They said – ‘We do not see him.’ ‘This boy has gone forth among the bhikkhus.’ The bhikkhus heard the parents of that Kammārabhāṇḍu complaining, grumbling, lamenting. Then those bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One. “I allow, bhikkhus, to inform the Saṅgha for novice-ordination.” The story of Kammārabhāṇḍu is finished. 36. The Story of the Boy Upāli Now at that time in Rājagaha, seventeen boys were friends. The boy Upāli was their leader. Then it occurred to Upāli’s parents – “By what means, pray, might Upāli, after our passing, live happily and not be wearied?” Then it occurred to Upāli’s parents – “If Upāli were to learn writing, then Upāli, after our passing, would live happily and not be wearied.” Then it occurred to Upāli’s parents – “If Upāli were to learn writing, his fingers would be sore. If Upāli were to learn calculation, then Upāli, after our passing, would live happily and not be wearied.” Then it occurred to Upāli’s parents – “If Upāli were to learn calculation, his chest would be sore. If Upāli were to learn drawing, then Upāli, after our passing, would live happily and not be wearied.” Then it occurred to Upāli’s parents – “If Upāli were to learn drawing, his eyes would be sore. These Sakyan recluses are of pleasant conduct, of pleasant behavior, having eaten good food, they sleep in sheltered beds. If Upāli were to go forth among the Sakyan recluses, then Upāli, after our passing, would live happily and not be wearied.” The boy Upāli heard this conversation of his parents. Then the boy Upāli approached those boys, and having approached... Having embraced those boys, he said this: "Come, sirs, let us go forth among the Sakyaputtiya ascetics." "If you, sir, go forth, then we too will go forth." Then those boys approached their respective parents and said this: "Allow me to go forth from home into homelessness." Then the parents of those boys thought, "All these boys have the same wish, a good intention," and they permitted. They approached the bhikkhus and asked for ordination. The bhikkhus ordained them, gave them higher ordination. They, rising at dawn in the morning, cried: "Give us gruel! Give us rice! Give us snacks!" The bhikkhus said this: "Wait, friends, until the night brightens. If there is gruel, you will drink it, if there is rice, you will eat it, if there are snacks, you will eat them; if there is no gruel or rice or snacks, you will go for alms and eat." Even so, those bhikkhus, being told by the bhikkhus, kept crying: "Give us gruel! Give us rice! Give us snacks!" They even soiled and wet their lodgings. The Blessed One, rising at dawn in the morning, heard the sound of children. Having heard, he addressed the venerable Ānanda: "What, Ānanda, is that sound of children?" Then the venerable Ānanda reported this matter to the Blessed One... "Is it true, bhikkhus, that bhikkhus knowingly give higher ordination to a person under twenty years old?" "It is true, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked... "How can these foolish men, bhikkhus, knowingly give higher ordination to a person under twenty years old? A person under twenty years old, bhikkhus, is unable to endure cold, heat, hunger, thirst, the touch of gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things, ill-spoken, ill-arrived words, and arising bodily feelings of pain..." of painful, sharp, bitter, disagreeable, unpleasant, life-threatening feelings. But, monks, a person who is twenty years old is capable of enduring cold, heat, hunger, thirst, the touch of gnats, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things, ill-spoken, ill-received words, and of enduring arisen bodily feelings that are painful, sharp, bitter, disagreeable, unpleasant, life-threatening. This, monks, is not for the conversion of the unconverted, nor for the increase of the converted…pe… having criticized…pe… having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks: “Monks, a person who is less than twenty years old should not be given ordination, knowing it. Whoever gives ordination, should be dealt with according to the Dhamma.” The story of the young Upāli is finished. 37. The Story of the Cholera Epidemic 100. Now at that time a certain family had died from cholera. Only the father and sons remained. They went forth among the monks and went for alms together. Then that young boy ran up to his father who had been given alms and said: “Give me too, father; give me too, father!” People complained, grumbled, and criticized: “These Sakyan recluses are not celibate. This boy too was born of a nun.” The monks heard those people complaining, grumbling, and criticizing. Then those monks reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Monks, a boy who is less than fifteen years old should not be ordained. Whoever ordains him, commits an offense of wrong-doing.” Now at that time a lay-supporter family of Venerable Ānanda, who were faithful and devoted, had died from cholera, and two boys remained. They, according to ancient custom, seeing the monks, ran up to them. The monks pushed them away. Being pushed away by the monks, they cried. Then it occurred to Venerable Ānanda: “The Blessed One has laid down 'A boy under fifteen years old should not be ordained.' And these boys are under fifteen. By what means then would these boys not be ruined? Then Venerable Ānanda reported this matter to the Blessed One. Do those boys, Ānanda, have the strength to scare away crows? They do, Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, on account of this cause, on account of this occasion, gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the bhikkhus: "I allow, bhikkhus, a boy under fifteen years old who can scare away crows to be ordained." The story of the snake-bite disease is finished. 38. The Story of Kaṇṭaka 101. At that time, Venerable Upananda the Sakyan had two sāmaṇeras: Kaṇṭaka and Mahaka. They corrupted each other. The bhikkhus complained, grumbled, and criticized: "How can sāmaṇeras engage in such misconduct?" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Bhikkhus, two sāmaṇeras should not be attended by one. Whoever attends them incurs an offense of wrong-doing." The story of Kaṇṭaka is finished. 39. The Story of Āhundarikā 102. At that time, the Blessed One dwelt in Rājagaha itself during the rainy season, there during the winter, there during the hot season. People complained, grumbled, and criticized: "The directions are dark for the Sakyan recluses, like for those who wander aimlessly; their directions are not clear." The bhikkhus heard those people complaining, grumbling, and criticizing. Then those bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One addressed Venerable Ānanda: "Go, Ānanda, take the key and announce to the bhikkhus in the surrounding cells: 'Friends, the Blessed One wishes to set out on a wandering tour to Dakkhiṇāgiri. Whoever among the venerables wishes, let him come.'" "Yes, venerable sir," Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One, took the key, and announced to the bhikkhus in the surrounding cells: "Friends, the Blessed One wishes to to wander in the mountains. Whoever venerable one wishes, let him come.” The bhikkhus said this: “By the Blessed One, friend Ānanda, it has been laid down to dwell relying for ten years, to give reliance in ten years. And there we will have to go, and reliance will have to be taken, and the stay will be temporary, and we will have to return again, and reliance will have to be taken again. If our teachers and preceptors go, we too will go; if our teachers and preceptors do not go, we too will not go. Our light-mindedness, friend Ānanda, will be apparent.” Then the Blessed One departed to wander in the Southern Mountains with a small group of bhikkhus. The story of Āhuṇḍarika is finished. 40. The Discourse on Releasing Reliance 103. Then the Blessed One, having stayed in the Southern Mountains as long as he wished, returned again to Rājagaha. Then the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ānanda: “Why, Ānanda, did the Tathāgata depart to wander in the Southern Mountains with a small group of bhikkhus?” Then the venerable Ānanda reported this matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, on this occasion, in this connection, having given a Dhamma talk, addressed the bhikkhus: “I allow, bhikkhus, that an experienced and capable bhikkhu may dwell without reliance for five years, an inexperienced one for life. “With five qualities, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should not dwell without reliance. He is not endowed with the training-segment of virtue, he is not endowed with the training-segment of concentration, he is not endowed with the training-segment of wisdom, he is not endowed with the training-segment of liberation, he is not endowed with the training-segment of knowledge and vision of liberation— with these five qualities, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should not dwell without reliance. “With five qualities, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should dwell without reliance. With the training-segment of virtue He is endowed with the aggregate of unconditioned concentration. With the aggregate of unconditioned wisdom… with the aggregate of unconditioned liberation… with the aggregate of unconditioned knowledge and vision of liberation is he endowed. Indeed, monks, a monk endowed with these five factors should dwell unattached. Furthermore, monks, a monk endowed with five factors should not dwell unattached. He is faithless, shameless, fearless of wrongdoing, lazy, and of muddled mindfulness. Indeed, monks, a monk endowed with these five factors should not dwell unattached. Monks, a monk endowed with five factors should dwell unattached. He is faithful, conscientious, fearful of wrongdoing, energetic, and of established mindfulness. Indeed, monks, a monk endowed with these five factors should dwell unattached. Furthermore, monks, a monk endowed with five factors should not dwell unattached. He is deficient in higher virtue, deficient in conduct, deficient in views,