Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The subchapter on containing living beings Sappāṇakavagga

65. The training rule on less than twenty years old 65. Ūnavīsativassasikkhāpada

Origin story

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How can those foolish men do this? kathañhi nāma te, bhikkhave, moghapurisā jānaṁ ūnavīsativassaṁ puggalaṁ upasampādessanti. 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. Ūnakavīsativasso, bhikkhave, puggalo akkhamo hoti sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ anadhivāsakajātiko hoti. But a person who’s twenty is able to endure these things. Vīsativassova kho, bhikkhave, puggalo khamo hoti sītassa uṇhassa …pe… pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātiko hoti. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Final ruling

‘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.’” “Yo pana bhikkhu jānaṁ ūnavīsativassaṁ puggalaṁ upasampādeyya, so ca puggalo anupasampanno, te ca bhikkhū gārayhā, idaṁ tasmiṁ pācittiyan”ti.

Definitions

A: Yo panāti: whoever … yo yādiso …pe…
Monk: 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. …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.
He knows: Jānāti nāma: he knows by himself or others have told him or the candidate has told him. sāmaṁ vā jānāti, aññe vā tassa ārocenti, so vā āroceti.
Less than twenty years old: Ūnavīsativasso nāma: who has not reached twenty years. appattavīsativasso.

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. “Upasampādessāmī”ti gaṇaṁ vā ācariyaṁ vā pattaṁ vā cīvaraṁ vā pariyesati, sīmaṁ vā sammannati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. After the motion, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ñattiyā dukkaṭaṁ. After each of the first two announcements, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Dvīhi kammavācāhi dukkaṭā. When the last announcement is finished, the preceptor commits an offense entailing confession, Kammavācāpariyosāne upajjhāyassa āpatti pācittiyassa. while the group and the teacher commit an offense of wrong conduct. Gaṇassa ca ācariyassa ca āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Permutations

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. Ūnavīsativasse ūnavīsativassasaññī upasampādeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. 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. Ūnavīsativasse vematiko upasampādeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. 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. Ūnavīsativasse paripuṇṇavīsativassasaññī upasampādeti, anāpatti.

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

Non-offenses

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

The training rule on less than twenty years old, the fifth, is finished. Ūnavīsativassasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.

English Translation

Pāli Text

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law
The Great Analysis
The chapter on offenses entailing confession
The subchapter on containing living beings

65. The training rule on less than twenty years old

Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary. At that time in Rājagaha there was a group of seventeen boys who were friends, with Upāli as their leader.

Upāli’s parents considered, “How can we make sure that Upāli is able to live happily without exhausting himself after we’ve passed away? He could become a clerk, but then his fingers will hurt. Or he could become an accountant, but then his chest will hurt. Or he could become a banker, but then his eyes will hurt. But these Sakyan monastics have pleasant habits and a happy life. They eat nice food and sleep in beds sheltered from the wind. If Upāli goes forth with them, he’ll be able to live happily without exhausting himself after we’ve passed away.”

Upāli overheard this conversation between his parents. He then went to the other boys and said, “Come, let’s go forth with the Sakyan monastics.”

“If you go forth, so will we.”

The boys went each to his own parents and said, “Please allow me to go forth into homelessness.” Since the parents knew that the boys all had the same desire and good intention, they gave their approval. The boys then went to the monks and asked for the going forth. And the monks gave them the going forth and the full ordination.

Soon afterwards they got up early in the morning and cried, “Give us congee, give us a meal, give us fresh food.”

The monks said, “Wait until it gets light. If any of that becomes available then, you can have it. If not, you’ll eat after walking for alms.”

But they carried on as before. And they defecated and urinated on the furniture.

After rising early in the morning, the Buddha heard the sound of those boys. He asked Venerable Ānanda, who told him what was happening. Soon afterwards the Buddha had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: “Is it true, monks, that the monks give the full ordination to people they know are less than twenty years old?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them … “How can those foolish men do this? 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. But a person who’s twenty is able to endure these things. This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

Definitions

A:: whoever …
Monk:: … 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.
He knows:: he knows by himself or others have told him or the candidate has told him.
Less than twenty years old:: who has not reached twenty years.

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. After the motion, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. After each of the first two announcements, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. When the last announcement is finished, the preceptor commits an offense entailing confession, while the group and the teacher commit an offense of wrong conduct.

Permutations

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. 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. 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.

If the other person is more than twenty years old, but he perceives them as less, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the other person is more than twenty years old, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the other person is more than twenty years old, and he perceives them as more, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he gives the full ordination to someone less than twenty years old, but he perceives them as more than twenty; if he gives the full ordination to someone more than twenty years old, and he perceives them as more than twenty; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The training rule on less than twenty years old, the fifth, is finished.

Theravāda Vinaya
Mahāvibhaṅga
Pācittiyakaṇḍa
Sappāṇakavagga

65. Ūnavīsativassasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena rājagahe sattarasavaggiyā dārakā sahāyakā honti. Upālidārako tesaṁ pāmokkho hoti.

Atha kho upālissa mātāpitūnaṁ etadahosi—“kena nu kho upāyena upāli amhākaṁ accayena sukhañca jīveyya na ca kilameyyā”ti? Atha kho upālissa mātāpitūnaṁ etadahosi—“sace kho upāli lekhaṁ sikkheyya, evaṁ kho upāli amhākaṁ accayena sukhañca jīveyya, na ca kilameyyā”ti. Atha kho upālissa mātāpitūnaṁ etadahosi—“sace kho upāli lekhaṁ sikkhissati, aṅguliyo dukkhā bhavissanti. Sace kho upāli gaṇanaṁ sikkheyya, evaṁ kho upāli amhākaṁ accayena sukhañca jīveyya na ca kilameyyā”ti. Atha kho upālissa mātāpitūnaṁ etadahosi—“sace kho upāli gaṇanaṁ sikkhissati, urassa dukkho bhavissati. Sace kho upāli rūpaṁ sikkheyya, evaṁ kho upāli amhākaṁ accayena sukhañca jīveyya na ca kilameyyā”ti. Atha kho upālissa mātāpitūnaṁ etadahosi—“sace kho upāli rūpaṁ sikkhissati, akkhīni dukkhā bhavissanti. Ime kho samaṇā sakyaputtiyā sukhasīlā sukhasamācārā subhojanāni bhuñjitvā nivātesu sayanesu sayanti. Sace kho upāli samaṇesu sakyaputtiyesu pabbajeyya, evaṁ kho upāli amhākaṁ accayena sukhañca jīveyya, na ca kilameyyā”ti.

Assosi kho upālidārako mātāpitūnaṁ imaṁ kathāsallāpaṁ. Atha kho upālidārako yena te dārakā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te dārake etadavoca—“etha mayaṁ, ayyā, samaṇesu sakyaputtiyesu pabbajissāmā”ti.

“Sace kho tvaṁ, ayya, pabbajissasi, evaṁ mayampi pabbajissāmā”ti.

Atha kho te dārakā ekamekassa mātāpitaro upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ—“anujānātha maṁ agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajjāyā”ti. Atha kho tesaṁ dārakānaṁ mātāpitaro—“sabbepime dārakā samānacchandā kalyāṇādhippāyā”ti anujāniṁsu. Te bhikkhū upasaṅkamitvā pabbajjaṁ yāciṁsu. Te bhikkhū pabbājesuṁ upasampādesuṁ.

Te rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya rodanti—“yāguṁ detha, bhattaṁ detha, khādanīyaṁ dethā”ti.

Bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu—“āgametha, āvuso, yāva ratti vibhāyati. Sace yāgu bhavissati, pivissatha. Sace bhattaṁ bhavissati, bhuñjissatha. Sace khādanīyaṁ bhavissati, khādissatha. No ce bhavissati yāgu vā bhattaṁ vā khādanīyaṁ vā, piṇḍāya caritvā bhuñjissathā”ti.

Evampi kho te bhikkhū bhikkhūhi vuccamānā rodantiyeva—“yāguṁ detha, bhattaṁ detha, khādanīyaṁ dethā”ti. Senāsanaṁ ūhadantipi ummihantipi.

Assosi kho bhagavā rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya dārakasaddaṁ. Sutvāna āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi—“kiṁ nu kho so, ānanda, dārakasaddo”ti? Atha kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesi. Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe bhikkhusaṅghaṁ sannipātāpetvā bhikkhū paṭipucchi—“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhū jānaṁ ūnavīsativassaṁ puggalaṁ upasampādentī”ti?

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma te, bhikkhave, moghapurisā jānaṁ ūnavīsativassaṁ puggalaṁ upasampādessanti. Ūnakavīsativasso, bhikkhave, puggalo akkhamo hoti sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ anadhivāsakajātiko hoti. Vīsativassova kho, bhikkhave, puggalo khamo hoti sītassa uṇhassa …pe… pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātiko hoti. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

“Yo pana bhikkhu jānaṁ ūnavīsativassaṁ puggalaṁ upasampādeyya, so ca puggalo anupasampanno, te ca bhikkhū gārayhā, idaṁ tasmiṁ pācittiyan”ti.

Yo panāti: yo yādiso …pe…
bhikkhūti: …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.
Jānāti nāma: sāmaṁ vā jānāti, aññe vā tassa ārocenti, so vā āroceti.
Ūnavīsativasso nāma: appattavīsativasso.

“Upasampādessāmī”ti gaṇaṁ vā ācariyaṁ vā pattaṁ vā cīvaraṁ vā pariyesati, sīmaṁ vā sammannati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Ñattiyā dukkaṭaṁ. Dvīhi kammavācāhi dukkaṭā. Kammavācāpariyosāne upajjhāyassa āpatti pācittiyassa. Gaṇassa ca ācariyassa ca āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Ūnavīsativasse ūnavīsativassasaññī upasampādeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Ūnavīsativasse vematiko upasampādeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Ūnavīsativasse paripuṇṇavīsativassasaññī upasampādeti, anāpatti.

Paripuṇṇavīsativasse ūnavīsativassasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Paripuṇṇavīsativasse vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Paripuṇṇavīsativasse paripuṇṇavīsativassasaññī, anāpatti.

Anāpatti—ūnavīsativassaṁ paripuṇṇavīsativassasaññī upasampādeti, paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ paripuṇṇavīsativassasaññī upasampādeti, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.

Ūnavīsativassasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The subchapter on containing living beings Sappāṇakavagga

65. The training rule on less than twenty years old 65. Ūnavīsativassasikkhāpada

Origin story

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

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

Final ruling

Definitions

A: Yo panāti: whoever … yo yādiso …pe…
Monk: 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. …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.
He knows: Jānāti nāma: he knows by himself or others have told him or the candidate has told him. sāmaṁ vā jānāti, aññe vā tassa ārocenti, so vā āroceti.
Less than twenty years old: Ūnavīsativasso nāma: who has not reached twenty years. appattavīsativasso.

Permutations

Non-offenses

The training rule on less than twenty years old, the fifth, is finished. Ūnavīsativassasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.