Mv 1.28

Translated from the Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg (1881)

1. At that time a certain Brâhmana came to the Bhikkhus and asked them for the pabbaggâ ordination. The Bhikkhus were not willing to ordain him. As he did not obtain the pabbaggâ ordination from the Bhikkhus, he became emaciated, lean, discoloured, more and more livid, and the veins became visible all over his body.

And the Blessed One saw this Brâhmana, who had become emaciated, &c. When he had seen him, he said to the Bhikkhus: 'How is it, O Bhikkhus, that this Brâhmana has become emaciated, &c.'

'This Brâhmana, Lord, came to the Bhikkhus and asked them for the pabbaggâ ordination (&c., as above, down to:), and the veins became visible all over his body.'

2. Then the Blessed One said to the Bhikkhus: 'Now, O Bhikkhus, who remembers anything about this Brâhmana?'

When he had spoken thus, the venerabIe Sâriputta said to the Blessed One: 'I remember something, Lord, about this Brâhmana.'

'And what is it you remember, Sâriputta, about this Brâhmana?'

'This Brâhmana, Lord, one day, when I went through Râgagaha for alms, ordered a spoonfuI of food to be given to me; this is what I remember, Lord, about this Brâhmana.'

3. 'Good, good, Sâriputta; pious men, Sâriputta, are gratefuI and remember what has been done to them. Therefore, Sâriputta, confer you the pabbaggâ and upasampadâ ordinations on that Brâhmana.'

'Lord, how shall I confer the pabbaggâ and upasampadâ ordinations on this Brâhmana?'

Then the Blessed One on this occasion, after having delivered a religious discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'I abolish, O Bhikkhus, from this day the upasampadâ ordination by the threefoId declaration of taking refuge, which I had prescribed. I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you confer the upasampadâ ordination by a formal act of the Order in which the announcement (ñatti) is followed by three questions.

4. 'And you ought, O Bhikkhus, to confer the upasampadâ ordination in this way: Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following ñatti before the Samgha:

'Let the Samgha, reverend Sirs, hear me. This person N. N., desires to receive the upasampadâ ordination from the venerable N. N. (i.e. with the venerable N. N. as his upagghâya). If the Samgha is ready, let the Samgha confer on N. N. the upasampadâ ordination with N. N. as upagghâya. This is the ñatti.

5, 6. 'Let the Samgha, reverend Sirs, hear me. This person N. N. desires to receive the upasampadâ ordination from the venerable N. N. The Samgha confers on N. N. the upasampadâ ordination with N. N. as upagghâya. Let any one of the venerable brethren who is in favour of the upasampadâ ordination of N. N. with N. N. as upagghâya, be silent, and any one who is not in favour of it, speak.

'And for the second time I thus speak to you: Let the Samgha (&c., as before).

'And for the third time I thus speak to you: Let the Samgha, &c.

'N. N. has received the upasampadâ ordination from the Samgha with N. N. as upagghâya. The Samgha is in favour of it, therefore it is silent. Thus I understand.'