English
is older than all the bhikkhus, it should be said: 'May the Saṅgha hear me, friends.' And if he were to say 'bhante,' or a newcomer were to say 'āvuso,' there is no fault in the act. But some say, 'Even if one says "āvuso" in one place and "bhante" in another, there is no fault, because the address is accomplished by both.' Now, wishing to make known the meaning by enjoining the Saṅgha to listen with 'suṇātu' (may it hear), he makes it known, saying 'This one, so-and-so by name,' and so on. There, 'ayaṃ' (this one) shows the presence of the ordination candidate within arm's reach. And by this, the higher ordination succeeds only for one standing within arm's reach, because 'ayaṃ' is not said of one standing outside arm's reach. Therefore, in the designation of the instructor, he [is within] arm's reach... because he is outside the reach of the hand, he is not referred to as "this one." Therefore, the one seeking ordination, who is not yet ordained, should be placed within reach of the hand. The word "this" (ayaṃ) and "so-and-so" (itthannāmo) must necessarily be used. And it should be understood that this is only in this first mention of the name. "So-and-so" (itthannāmo) is an indefinite indication of his name. By both, the name "this Buddharakkhita" and so on is shown. "One seeking ordination" (upasampadāpekkho) is a bahubbīhi compound in the sense of a different locus, meaning "the Sangha expects ordination from me." And to show his connection as an upajjhāya, it is said, "of the venerable so-and-so." By this, the meaning is shown along with the naming, in such a way as "this Buddharakkhita, the resident of the venerable Dhammarakkhita, is one seeking ordination." And here, even without saying the word "venerable" (āyasmato), it is permissible to say, "this Buddharakkhita is Dhammarakkhita's one seeking ordination." For that very reason, in the Pāli text, the word "venerable" (āyasmato) is not used in "by the upajjhāya so-and-so." What needs to be said here has already been said below. Now, should not the upajjhāya also be desired to be present within reach of the hand, like the one seeking ordination? Why then, in referring to the upajjhāya, is the word "this" (ima) not used, as in "this so-and-so is the one seeking ordination of this so-and-so"? There is no contradiction here, because even in the absence of the upajjhāya, there is no invalidation of the act. It is merely for the completion of the act, by way of a settled word, that the name of the upajjhāya is mentioned, even if he is not present, in ordinations and so on for one who has no upajjhāya. Therefore, even if the upajjhāya is not present, the act is accomplished merely by referring to him, so it is not permissible to indicate him with "this one's" (imassa). "Pure from obstructive factors" means free from those obstructive factors that invalidate ordination, such as unsuitability, and also from those that merely cause an offense, such as the five diseases, severed hands, and so on. When it is said thus, it means the five diseases that merely cause an offense. Even if not freed from nurses, ordination is valid, not otherwise. "With complete bowl and robes" means the ordination candidate has complete bowl and robes. Even if it is said so, ordination is valid even for one without bowl and robes, not otherwise. "He asks for ordination" refers to the act of asking, such as "Venerable sirs, I ask the Sangha for ordination." Even if he has not thus asked the Sangha, if it is said "So-and-so asks the Sangha for ordination," then the act is not flawed, not otherwise. "By the preceptor" means the preceptor, being the instrument, having made so-and-so his preceptor, asks the Sangha, which is the agent, to give and accomplish the ordination, which is the object. Because the root *yāc* (to ask) takes two objects, "Sangha" and "ordination" are stated as two object-phrases. Regarding "If it is suitable for the Sangha," here "pattakāla" means "the time has arrived for this," referring to the four kinds of Sangha-acts such as announcement. That same [act] is called "pattakalla" by the suffix "-ya" in its own sense. Here, however, the ñatti-fourth ordination act is intended; it has become suitable for the Sangha to perform it. "If" indicates the suitability of the act by way of obtaining consent. Indeed, whoever there thinks it is not suitable, he should speak. It is precisely with this meaning in mind that it is said in the announcements: "If it is agreeable to any venerable one... let him speak." This suitability, moreover, is comprised of these five factors: suitability of the candidate, his purity from obstructive conditions, suitability of the boundary, suitability of the assembly, and completion of preliminary duties. Therein, suitability of the candidate means a human male, not yet ordained, who is fully twenty years old, and is other than the eleven types of incapable persons mentioned before, and other than those who have committed the ultimate offenses. Only when such a person exists is this ordination act of the Sangha called suitable, not when he does not exist. And if performed, it is invalid. And his purity from obstructive conditions. These are, for the person who is the object of ordination as stated, those faults rejected by the Blessed One: such as being afflicted by the five diseases, and ending with not being permitted by parents, and such as having severed hands. These are called "obstacles" because they cause offenses and other hindrances to the performing Sangha. By being free from these obstructive faults, and when this is present, this act is called "fit and proper," not otherwise. But an act performed is well-done, except for a person under twenty years of age. Boundary completeness, however, is to be understood by means of the two kinds of boundaries, bound and unbound, free from all faults, as will be explained in the Uposatha Khandhaka (Mahavagga 147-148). For when such a boundary is present, this act is called "fit and proper," not otherwise. And an act performed (without it) fails. Assembly completeness, however, is comprised of these four factors: the bhikkhus who are qualified for the act by the final determination of the ordination act, not less than ten or five, not having fallen into a pārājika, not having been suspended, and being of the same communion; their standing within arm's reach in one boundary; the bringing of the consent of those who are entitled to give consent; and the non-rejection by those who are present; and the absence within the Sangha's arm's reach of those persons to be avoided: such as householders and other unordained persons, and bhikkhunis, and those who have fallen into pārājika, or have been suspended, or are of different communion, who are rejected in the Uposatha Khandhaka, and those who are not seeking ordination. And when such assembly completeness is present, this act is called "fit and proper," not otherwise. Therein, if any one of the first three factors is absent, the act performed fails, but not if the last one is absent. The completion of preliminary duties means those things stated in the Pāli, beginning with "first, an Upajjhāya should be taken," such as taking an Upajjhāya, announcing the bowl and robes, then placing him outside arm's reach and performing the act of appointing an instructor, and the instructor going and instructing him, and by him, first... Having come there, having informed the Saṅgha, having made the ordination candidate say, ‘Come here,’ the ‘abbhāna’ (declaration) is made within arm's reach. Then, having made him venerate the feet of the bhikkhus, the request for ordination is made. After that, the appointment of one to question about the obstructing factors, and the questioning by the appointed one— these are the eight preliminary duties. Their completion is by performing all of them correctly. And only when these preliminary duties are completed is this ordination act of the Saṅgha called ‘pattakalla’ (fit for performance), not otherwise. However, even if these preliminary duties are not performed, the act performed is unshakeable if the conditions of the matter as stated, etc., are present. Thus, it should be understood that ‘pattakalla’ here is comprised of these five factors. In the same way, in all the acts mentioned below and to be mentioned, ‘pattakalla’ should be appropriately applied and understood. ‘May he ordain so-and-so’— this should be understood as a wish, ‘May he bring about his ordination, may he make him endowed with it,’ or as a method. Just as when it is said, ‘May he make Devadatta happy,’ it means, ‘May he bring about his happiness and make him endowed with happiness,’ so here too, it means, ‘May he bring about his ordination and make him endowed with ordination.’ And this is in the sense of an agent's activity, just as someone is said to ‘make happy’ by bringing about the cause of happiness, making someone happy, so here too, the Saṅgha, being the ordainer, is said to ‘ordain’ the person to be ordained by bringing about the cause of ordination. By this, it is supported that there is a conventional truth called ‘ordination,’ which is a designation by noble ones, based on such ultimate realities, given by the Saṅgha, the giver, to the person, like happiness. And here, because it is said, ‘So-and-so asks the Saṅgha for ordination,’ and not, ‘May he give ordination to so-and-so,’ as in the case of ‘parivāsa’ (probation) etc., in accordance with the request, but rather, ‘May he ordain so-and-so,’ this ordination It should be seen that the act of giving is not included in the gift, but in the characteristic of the act. In this way, the meaning of "he ordains so-and-so, he is ordained by the Sangha" should also be understood. The only difference is that there it is in terms of present and past time, and here it is in terms of unspecified time.