1. Going forth (Pabbajjā) (PLI-TV-KD1)

Four requisites

be explained, the formula should be explained, the four resources should be explained (with the words): ‘Going forth is on account of meals of scraps … as at Kd.1.30.4 … These are extra acquisitions: ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, molasses.’

Told are the Four Resources

Four things not to be done

Now at that time monks, having ordained a certain monk, went away leaving him alone. Afterwards as he was going along alone, he met his former wife on the way. She spoke thus: “What, have you now gone forth?”

“Yes, I have gone forth.” She said:

“Sexual intercourse is difficult for those who have gone forth. Come and indulge in sexual intercourse.” Having indulged in sexual intercourse with her, he arrived late. Monks spoke thus: “What were you, your reverence, doing for such a long time?”

Then this monk told this matter to the monks. The monks told this matter to the Lord. He said:

“I allow you, monks, having ordained (a monk), to give him a companion and to explain four things which are not to be done. When a monk is ordained he should not indulge in sexual intercourse, even with an animal. Whatever monk indulges in sexual intercourse, he becomes not a (true) recluse, not a son of the Sakyans. As a man with his head cut off could not become one to live by that bodily connection, even so a monk, having indulged in sexual intercourse, becomes not a (true) recluse, not a son of the Sakyans. This is a thing not to be done by you as long as life lasts.

“When a monk is ordained he should not take by theft what has not been given, even if it is only a blade of grass. Whatever monk takes by theft a pāda or the worth of a pāda or more than a pāda that has not been given, he becomes not a (true) recluse, not a son of the Sakyans. As a withered leaf, freed from its stalk, could not become green again, even so a monk, having taken by theft a pāda or the worth of a pāda or more than a pāda that was not given, becomes not a (true) recluse, not a son of the Sakyans. This is a thing not to be done by you as long as life lasts.

“When a monk is ordained he should not intentionally deprive a living thing of life, even if it is only an ant. Whatever monk deprives a human being of life even down to causing abortion, he becomes not a (true) recluse, not a son of the Sakyans. As a flat stone, broken in half, becomes (something) not to be put together again, even so a monk, having intentionally deprived a human being of life, becomes not a (true) recluse, not a son of the Sakyans. This is a thing not to be done by you as long as life lasts.

“When a monk is ordained he should not lay claim to a state of further-men, even thinking: ‘I delight in solitude’. Whatever monk, of evil desires, filled with covetousness, lays claim to a state of further-men which is non-existent, not a fact—to meditation or to a deliverance or to contemplation or to an attainment or to a way or to a fruit—he becomes not a (true) recluse, not a son of the Sakyans. As a palmyra palm, cut off at the crown, could not become one for further growth, even so a monk, of evil desires, filled with covetousness, having claimed a state of further-men which is nonexistent, not a fact, becomes not a (true) recluse, not a son of the Sakyans. This is a thing not to be done by you as long as life lasts.”

Told are the Four Things which are not to be done.

The story of one suspended for not seeing an offence

asked the monks for ordination. They told this matter to the Lord. He said:

“This is a case, monks, where a monk, suspended for not seeing an offence, leaves the Order, (but) having come back again, asks the monks for ordination. They should speak thus to him: ‘Will you see this offence?’ If he says: ‘I will see it’, he may be let go forth. If he says: ‘I will not see it’, he should not be let go forth.

“Having let him go forth they should say (to him): ‘Will you see this offence?’ If he says: ‘I will see it’, he may be ordained. If he says: ‘I will not see it’, he should not be ordained. Having ordained him, they should say: ‘Will you see this offence? ‘If he says: ‘I will see it’, he may be restored. If he says: ‘I will not see it’, he should not be restored. Having restored him, they should say: ‘Do you see this offence?’ If he sees it, that is good; if he does not see it, he may be suspended again if it possible to obtain unanimity; if it is not possible to obtain unanimity there is no offence in eating with, in being in communion with (him).

“This is a case, monks, where a monk, suspended for not making amends for an offence, leaves the Order (but) having come back again, asks the monks for ordination. They should speak thus to him: ‘Will you make amends for this offence?’ If he says: ‘I will make amends’, he may be let go forth … as in Kd.1.79.2 reading make amends for instead of see … in being in communion with (him).

“This is a case, monks, where a monk, suspended for not giving up a wrong view, leaves the Order (but) having come back again, asks the monks for ordination. They should speak thus to him: ‘Will you give up this wrong view?’ If he says: ‘I will give it up he may be let go forth … as in Kd.1.79.2 reading give up instead of see … in being in communion with (him).

The Great Section: the First

As to great matters in the Vinaya,
to bringing ease to the well-behaved
both in restraint of evil desires and in strivings for conscientiousness,
And also bearing in mind the instruction
which is within the range of the all-knowing conqueror,
in a realm which has no other,
in peace from bondage,
in what is well laid down,
in that which has no doubt,
In Section in Vinaya, as well as in Parivāra and in Heading(s),
the good follows closely as though imitating.
Who does not understand cattle does not guard the herd,
so not knowing moral habit, how can he guard restraint?
Although the Suttantas and Abhidhamma be forgotten,
for all time the teaching persists while Vinaya is not destroyed.
Therefore, because firmly supported,
I will declare the key in regular sequence according to (my) knowledge.
Listen while I speak.
The matter, the provenance, the offence, the methods and the abbreviations—
it is not easy not to leave something out;
discern that from the method.
Awakening, and the Rājāyatana, the Goatherds’, Sahampati
Brahmā, Āḷara, Uddaka, and monks, Upaka the seer,
Koṇḍañña, Vappa, Bhaddiya and Mahānāma, Assaji,
Yasa, four, fifty, all, he sent out (on tour), the quarters,
The subject, as to Māra, and the thirty, at Uruvelā, three matted hair ascetics,
fire-room, the Great Kings, Sakka, and Brahmā, the entire (population),
Rag-robe, a tank, and a stone, kakudha-(tree), a stone, a rose-apple, and a mango,
emblic myrobalam, he brought a flower from the Coral Tree,
‘Kassapa, let them be chopped, let them be kindled, and let them be extinguished’,
they plunged into, fire-vessels, rain, Gayā, and the Palm Grove, (King of) Magadha,
Upatissa, Kolita, and distinguished (young men), the going forth,
wrongly dressed, dismissal, and the lean wretched brahmin,
He indulged in bad habits, the stomach, the brahmin youth, a group,
year’s standing, by the ignorant, going away, ten years’ standing, guidance,
They did not conduct themselves (properly), to dismiss, ignorant, nullification, five, six,
and whoever else, and naked, not with (his hair) cut off, matted hair ascetic, a Sakyan.
Five diseases among the Magadhese, service, a thief (and) fingers,
and (the King of) Magadha decreed, jail, written about, scourged,
Branded, debtor, and a slave, close-shaving, Upāli, snake (-wind disease),
a family with faith, and Kaṇḍaka, and then crowded up,
About how to live, the boy, trainings, and they were, Now how?
entire, by mouth, preceptors, luring away, Kaṇḍaka,
Eunuch, theft, going over to, and a snake, on a mother, a father,
perfected ones, a nun, schismatic, concerning blood, hermaphrodite,
Without a preceptor, through an Order, a group, eunuch,
without a bowl, without a robe, both these, then those three on what was lent,
Hands, feet, hands and feet, ears, nose, both these,
fingers, nails, tendons, webbed hands, and a hunch-back, dwarf,
Having goitre, and then a branded one, scourged, written about, elephantiasis,
badly (ill), and one who disgraces an assembly, blind,
and just then one with a crooked limb,
And then a lame one, paralysed down one side,
with a cripple, old age, blind from birth, dumb, deaf, blind and dumb, and what is thereto,
Whatever is called blind and dumb, and then dumb and deaf,
And blind and dumb and deaf,
and guidance to the unconscientious,
And one should (not) live, what is done on a journey, being asked, wishing for,
‘let him come’, they quarrelled, if there is one preceptor, Kassapa,
And ordained (monks) were to be seen pressing about diseases,
the uninstructed were at a loss, instruction just there,
And then in the Order, then an ignorant one, and not agreed upon,
together, the ‘may-it-raise-(me-)up’ ordination, resource, alone, the three.
In this Section are one hundred and seventy-two items.

Told is the First Key, that to the Great Section

The Book of the Discipline was translated by I.B. Horner.

Digital edition prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato

A complete digital edition can be downloaded here.

Published in 2014 by SuttaCentral.

Originally published by the Pali Text Society in the following years:

Vol. 1: 1938

Vol. 2: 1940

Vol. 3: 1942

Vol. 4: 1951

Vol. 5: 1950

Vol. 6: 1966

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