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Bu Pc 654 min read

65. Ordaining a person under twenty

Ūnavīsativassa

A monk who acts as preceptor for anyone under twenty must confess the offense. And the ordination is invalid.

Translated by Bhikkhu Brahmali · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
  • 0.2MahāvibhaṅgaThe Great Analysis
  • 0.3PācittiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing confession
  • 0.4SappāṇakavaggaThe subchapter on containing living beings

0.565. ŪnavīsativassasikkhāpadaOrdaining a person under twenty

1.0Origin story

1.1Tena samayena buddho bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary.1.2Tena kho pana samayena rājagahe sattarasavaggiyā dārakā sahāyakā honti.At that time in Rājagaha there was a group of seventeen boys who were friends,1.3Upālidārako tesaṁ pāmokkho hoti.with Upāli as their leader.

1.4Atha kho upālissa mātāpitūnaṁ etadahosi—Upāli’s parents considered,1.5“kena nu kho upāyena upāli amhākaṁ accayena sukhañca jīveyya na ca kilameyyā”ti?“How can we make sure that Upāli is able to live happily without exhausting himself after we’ve passed away?1.6Atha kho upālissa mātāpitūnaṁ etadahosi—1.7“sace kho upāli lekhaṁ sikkheyya, evaṁ kho upāli amhākaṁ accayena sukhañca jīveyya, na ca kilameyyā”ti.He could become a clerk,1.8Atha kho upālissa mātāpitūnaṁ etadahosi—1.9PTS 4.129“sace kho upāli lekhaṁ sikkhissati, aṅguliyo dukkhā bhavissanti.but then his fingers will hurt.1.10Sace kho upāli gaṇanaṁ sikkheyya, evaṁ kho upāli amhākaṁ accayena sukhañca jīveyya na ca kilameyyā”ti.Or he could become an accountant,1.11Atha kho upālissa mātāpitūnaṁ etadahosi—1.12“sace kho upāli gaṇanaṁ sikkhissati, urassa dukkho bhavissati.but then his chest will hurt.1.13Sace kho upāli rūpaṁ sikkheyya, evaṁ kho upāli amhākaṁ accayena sukhañca jīveyya na ca kilameyyā”ti.Or he could become a banker,1.14Atha kho upālissa mātāpitūnaṁ etadahosi—1.15“sace kho upāli rūpaṁ sikkhissati, akkhīni dukkhā bhavissanti.but then his eyes will hurt.1.16Ime kho samaṇā sakyaputtiyā sukhasīlā sukhasamācārā subhojanāni bhuñjitvā nivātesu sayanesu sayanti.But these Sakyan monastics have pleasant habits and a happy life. They eat nice food and sleep in beds sheltered from the wind.1.17Sace kho upāli samaṇesu sakyaputtiyesu pabbajeyya, evaṁ kho upāli amhākaṁ accayena sukhañca jīveyya, na ca kilameyyā”ti.If Upāli goes forth with them, he’ll be able to live happily without exhausting himself after we’ve passed away.”

1.18Assosi kho upālidārako mātāpitūnaṁ imaṁ kathāsallāpaṁ.Upāli overheard this conversation between his parents.1.19Atha kho upālidārako yena te dārakā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te dārake etadavoca—He then went to the other boys and said,1.20“etha mayaṁ, ayyā, samaṇesu sakyaputtiyesu pabbajissāmā”ti.“Come, let’s go forth with the Sakyan monastics.”

1.21“Sace kho tvaṁ, ayya, pabbajissasi, evaṁ mayampi pabbajissāmā”ti.“If you go forth, so will we.”

1.22Atha kho te dārakā ekamekassa mātāpitaro upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ—The boys went each to his own parents and said,1.23“anujānātha maṁ agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajjāyā”ti.“Please allow me to go forth into homelessness.”1.24Atha kho tesaṁ dārakānaṁ mātāpitaro—1.25“sabbepime dārakā samānacchandā kalyāṇādhippāyā”ti anujāniṁsu.Since the parents knew that the boys all had the same desire and good intention, they gave their approval.1.26Te bhikkhū upasaṅkamitvā pabbajjaṁ yāciṁsu.The boys then went to the monks and asked for the going forth.1.27Te bhikkhū pabbājesuṁ upasampādesuṁ.And the monks gave them the going forth and the full ordination.

1.28Te rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya rodanti—Soon afterwards they got up early in the morning and cried,1.29“yāguṁ detha, bhattaṁ detha, khādanīyaṁ dethā”ti.“Give us congee, give us a meal, give us fresh food.”

1.30Bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu—The monks said,1.31“āgametha, āvuso, yāva ratti vibhāyati.“Wait until it gets light.1.32Sace yāgu bhavissati, pivissatha.If any of that becomes available then, you can have it.1.33Sace bhattaṁ bhavissati, bhuñjissatha.1.34Sace khādanīyaṁ bhavissati, khādissatha.1.35No ce bhavissati yāgu vā bhattaṁ vā khādanīyaṁ vā, piṇḍāya caritvā bhuñjissathā”ti.If not, you’ll eat after walking for alms.”

1.36Evampi kho te bhikkhū bhikkhūhi vuccamānā rodantiyeva—But they carried on as before.1.37“yāguṁ detha, bhattaṁ detha, khādanīyaṁ dethā”ti.1.38Senāsanaṁ ūhadantipi ummihantipi.And they defecated and urinated on the furniture.

1.39Assosi kho bhagavā rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya dārakasaddaṁ.After rising early in the morning, the Buddha heard the sound of those boys.1.40Sutvāna āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi—He asked Venerable Ānanda,1.41“kiṁ nu kho so, ānanda, dārakasaddo”ti?1.42Atha kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesi.who told him what was happening.1.43Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe bhikkhusaṅghaṁ sannipātāpetvā bhikkhū paṭipucchi—Soon afterwards the Buddha had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks:1.44PTS 4.130“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhū jānaṁ ūnavīsativassaṁ puggalaṁ upasampādentī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that the monks give the full ordination to people they know are less than twenty years old?”

1.45“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”

1.46Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.47kathañhi nāma te, bhikkhave, moghapurisā jānaṁ ūnavīsativassaṁ puggalaṁ upasampādessanti.“How can those foolish men do this?1.48Ūnakavīsativasso, bhikkhave, puggalo akkhamo hoti sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ anadhivāsakajātiko hoti.A person who is less than twenty years old is unable to endure cold and heat; hunger and thirst; horseflies, mosquitoes, wind, and the burning sun; creeping animals and insects; and rude and unwelcome speech. And they are unable to bear up with bodily feelings that are painful, severe, sharp, and destructive of life.11.49Vīsativassova kho, bhikkhave, puggalo khamo hoti sītassa uṇhassa …pe…But a person who’s twenty is able to endure these things.1.50pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātiko hoti.1.51Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.52evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

1.53.0Final ruling

1.53.1“Yo pana bhikkhu jānaṁ ūnavīsativassaṁ puggalaṁ upasampādeyya, so ca puggalo anupasampanno, te ca bhikkhū gārayhā, idaṁ tasmiṁ pācittiyan”ti.‘If a monk gives the full ordination to a person he knows is less than twenty years old, he commits an offense entailing confession. Moreover, that person has not received the full ordination and those monks are blameworthy.’”

2.1.0Definitions

2.1.1Yo panātiA:
2.1.2yo yādiso …pe…whoever …
2.1.3bhikkhūtiMonk:
2.1.4…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.… The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case.
2.1.5Jānāti nāmaHe knows:
2.1.6sāmaṁ vā jānāti, aññe vā tassa ārocenti, so vā āroceti.he knows by himself or others have told him or the candidate has told him.2
2.1.7Ūnavīsativasso nāmaLess than twenty years old:
2.1.8appattavīsativasso.who has not reached twenty years.

2.1.9“Upasampādessāmī”ti gaṇaṁ vā ācariyaṁ vā pattaṁ vā cīvaraṁ vā pariyesati, sīmaṁ vā sammannati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If, intending to give the full ordination, he searches for a group, a teacher, a bowl, or a robe, or he establishes a monastery zone, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.32.1.10Ñattiyā dukkaṭaṁ.After the motion, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.42.1.11Dvīhi kammavācāhi dukkaṭā.After each of the first two announcements, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.1.12Kammavācāpariyosāne upajjhāyassa āpatti pācittiyassa.When the last announcement is finished, the preceptor commits an offense entailing confession,2.1.13Gaṇassa ca ācariyassa ca āpatti dukkaṭassa.while the group and the teacher commit an offense of wrong conduct.

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1Ūnavīsativasse ūnavīsativassasaññī upasampādeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.If the other person is less than twenty years old, and he perceives them as less, and he gives them the full ordination, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.2Ūnavīsativasse vematiko upasampādeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If the other person is less than twenty years old, but he is unsure of it, and he gives them the full ordination, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.3Ūnavīsativasse paripuṇṇavīsativassasaññī upasampādeti, anāpatti.If the other person is less than twenty years old, but he perceives them as more, and he gives them the full ordination, there is no offense.

2.2.4Paripuṇṇavīsativasse ūnavīsativassasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If the other person is more than twenty years old, but he perceives them as less, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.5Paripuṇṇavīsativasse vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If the other person is more than twenty years old, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.6Paripuṇṇavīsativasse paripuṇṇavīsativassasaññī, anāpatti.If the other person is more than twenty years old, and he perceives them as more, there is no offense.

2.3.0Non-offenses

2.3.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.3.2ūnavīsativassaṁ paripuṇṇavīsativassasaññī upasampādeti,if he gives the full ordination to someone less than twenty years old, but he perceives them as more than twenty; 2.3.3paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ paripuṇṇavīsativassasaññī upasampādeti,if he gives the full ordination to someone more than twenty years old, and he perceives them as more than twenty; 2.3.4ummattakassa,if he is insane; 2.3.5ādikammikassāti.if he is the first offender.

2.3.6Ūnavīsativassasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.The training rule on ordaining a person under twenty, the fifth, is finished.

Translator’s notes

  1. Sp-ṭ 4.295: Sarīsapeti ye keci sarante gacchante dīghajātike, “Sarīsape: whatever long creatures are moving by flowing.”

    ↩ pli-tv-bu-vb-pc65:1.48

  2. The meaning of the last of these three ways of knowing, so vā āroceti, is not clear. CPD suggests: “sa (sā) āroceti (?). Perhaps this last form is conformable to sa. ārocayate med. caus. in the meaning: he or she makes inquiries (of others).” However, this does not fit with the parallel usage at Bu Pc 29:3.1.6 where the text says that she tells (sā vā āroceti) him, presumably referring to the nun telling the monk. In this case āroceti cannot refer to the monk making inquiries. The commentaries are silent, and I therefore assume that a straightforward meaning is the most likely one. I would suggest, then, that it simply refers to the person wrongly ordained telling the monk directly.

    ↩ pli-tv-bu-vb-pc65:2.1.6

  3. “Monastery zone” renders sīmā. See Appendix of Technical Terms for discussion.

    ↩ pli-tv-bu-vb-pc65:2.1.9

  4. The Pali just says dukkaṭa, without specifying that it is an āpatti, “an offense”. Yet elsewhere, such as at Bu Ss 10:2.65, the dukkaṭa is annulled if you commit the full offense of saṅghādisesa. The implication is that in these contexts dukkaṭa should be read as āpatti dukkaṭassa, “an offense of wrong conduct”.

    ↩ pli-tv-bu-vb-pc65:2.1.10