• Numbered Discourses 10.34 Aį¹…guttara Nikāya 10.34
  • 4. With Upāli 4. Upālivagga

Ordination Upasampadāsutta

ā€œSir, how many qualities should a mendicant have to give ordination?ā€ ā€œKatihi nu kho, bhante, dhammehi samannāgatena bhikkhunā upasampādetabbanā€ti?

ā€œUpāli, a mendicant should have ten qualities to give ordination. ā€œDasahi kho, upāli, dhammehi samannāgatena bhikkhunā upasampādetabbaṁ. What ten? Katamehi dasahi? It’s when a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken. Idhupāli, bhikkhu sÄ«lavā hoti, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharati ācāragocarasampanno aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvÄ«, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu; They’re very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, rehearsing them, mentally scrutinizing them, and penetrating them theoretically. bahussuto hoti sutadharo sutasannicayo, ye te dhammā ādikalyāṇā majjhekalyāṇā pariyosānakalyāṇā sātthaṁ sabyaƱjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ abhivadanti, tathārÅ«pāssa dhammā bahussutā honti dhātā vacasā paricitā manasānupekkhitā diį¹­į¹­hiyā suppaį¹­ividdhā; Both monastic codes have been passed down to them in detail, well analyzed, well mastered, well evaluated in both the rules and accompanying material. pātimokkhaṁ kho panassa vitthārena svāgataṁ hoti suvibhattaṁ suppavattaṁ suvinicchitaṁ suttaso anubyaƱjanaso; They’re able to care for the sick or get someone else to do so. paį¹­ibalo hoti gilānaṁ upaį¹­į¹­hātuṁ vā upaį¹­į¹­hāpetuṁ vā; They’re able to settle dissatisfaction or get someone else to do so. paį¹­ibalo hoti anabhiratiṁ vÅ«pakāsetuṁ vā vÅ«pakāsāpetuṁ vā; They’re able to dispel remorse when it has come up. paį¹­ibalo hoti uppannaṁ kukkuccaṁ dhammato vinodetuṁ; They’re able to rationally dissuade someone from misconceptions that come up. paį¹­ibalo hoti uppannaṁ diį¹­į¹­higataṁ dhammato vivecetuṁ; They’re able to encourage someone in the higher ethics, paį¹­ibalo hoti adhisÄ«le samādapetuṁ; the higher mind, paį¹­ibalo hoti adhicitte samādapetuṁ; and the higher wisdom. paį¹­ibalo hoti adhipaƱƱāya samādapetuṁ. A mendicant should possess these ten qualities to give ordination.ā€ Imehi kho, upāli, dasahi dhammehi samannāgatena bhikkhunā upasampādetabbanā€ti.

Catutthaṁ.