Ordination Procedure (Upasampadàvidhã ) & the Preliminary Duties of a New Bhikkhu
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OrdinationOrdination PrProcedureocedure Somdet Phra Mahasamana Chao Krom Phraya Vajirananavarorasa HAN DD ET U 'S B B O RY eOK LIBRA E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.buddhanet.net Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc. Ordination Procedure (Upasampadàvidhã ) & The Preliminary Duties of a New Bhikkhu Somdet Phra Mahà Samaõa Chao Krom Phrayà Vajira¤àõavarorasa Mahàmakuñaràjavidyàlaya King Mahà Makuta’s Academy, Bangkok 2516 / 1973 Contents Preface .......................................................................................................................... viii The Life of Somdet Phra Mahàsamaõa Chao Krom Phrayà Vajira¤àõavarorasa ......................................... xii Introduction .............................................................................................................. xvii Chapter One Upasampadà Four Fulfilling Conditions ......................................................................................... 5 Summary of the Four Fulfilling Conditions ..................................................... 9 Chapter Two The Vinaya The Root-cause of Pa¤¤atti ...................................................................................... 11 âpatti (offences) ........................................................................................................... 14 The Benefits of Vinaya .............................................................................................. 22 Chapter Three Ordination Procedure Requesting the Going-Forth (Pabbajjà) ............................................................... 26 Unattractive Parts of the Body ............................................................................... 27 Requesting the Refuges and Precepts ................................................................ 29 Giving the Three Refuges ........................................................................................ 29 Giving the Ten precepts ........................................................................................... 30 iv Requesting Dependence (Nissaya) ....................................................................... 32 Scrutiny of the Bowl and Robes ........................................................................... 33 Informing the Sangha of the Examination of the Applicant ................... 34 Examination of the Applicant outside the Sangha ...................................... 34 Informing the Sangha that the Applicant has been Examined .............. 36 Requesting the Acceptance (Upasampadà) ....................................................... 37 Examination of the Applicant inside the Sangha ......................................... 38 The Motion and the Three Announcements ................................................... 39 Chapter Four Admonition Anusàsana ...................................................................................................................... 44 The Four Supports ...................................................................................................... 44 Almsfood ........................................................................................................................ 44 Rag-robes ......................................................................................................................... 45 Tree-root dwelling ....................................................................................................... 45 Fermented urine as medicine ................................................................................ 45 The Four Things never-to-be-done ...................................................................... 46 Sexual intercourse ....................................................................................................... 46 Taking what is not given .......................................................................................... 47 Depriving of life ........................................................................................................... 47 Laying claim to superior human states ............................................................ 48 v Chapter Five Preliminary Duties for a New Bhikkhu Bindukappa — Marking the robes ..................................................................... 52 Adhiññhàna — Determining for use .................................................................. 53 Paccuddharaõa — Relinquishing from use ..................................................... 55 Vikappa — Combination of ownership ............................................................. 56 Anujànanaü — Acknowledgment and permission .................................... 58 âpattidesanaü — Confession of offences ....................................................... 60 Vassàvàso — Rains-residence ................................................................................. 67 Khamàpanakammaü — Asking for forgiveness ......................................... 69 Pavàraõà — Inviting admonition ......................................................................... 71 Kañhina — Presentation of the Kathin Robe ................................................... 72 Nissaya — Requesting Dependance after Upasampadà ............................ 76 Entering the town during the ’wrong’ time * .................................................. 77 Chapter Six Daily Chanting The Morning Chanting ............................................................................................. 78 Recollection at the moment of using the Requisites ................................... 85 Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection (Abhiõhapaccavekkhaõa) ..... 88 The Sàmaõera’s Training * (Sàmaõerasikkhà) ................................................ 89 The Evening Chanting .............................................................................................. 91 Recollection after using the requisites .............................................................. 98 Suffusion with the Divine Abidings ................................................................ 100 vi Verses for the Dedication of Pu¤¤a .................................................................. 102 Series of Seven Ordination Ceremony Photographs shown on next Four pages ..... 104 Appendices I. Meditation — the Four Protectors ................................................................ 112 Recollection of the Buddha — Buddhànussati ............................................. 112 Loving-kindness — Mettà ..................................................................................... 113 Unattractiveness of the body — Asubha ......................................................... 113 Mindfulness of Death — Maraõassati ............................................................. 116 II. Stanzas for the Dedication of Pu¤¤a .......................................................... 116 III. Stanzas for the blessing of a new bhikkhu ............................................ 118 IV. Pàli text and translations of Ordination Procedure when more than one applicant is ordained .................................. 119 Informing the Sangha of the examination of the applicant .................... 121 Examination of the applicant outside and inside the Sangha (to be done separately beginning with Puõõa) .......................... 121 Informing the Sangha that the applicants have been examined .......... 121 Requesting the Acceptance (Upasampadà) ..................................................... 122 Requesting consent from the Sangha to examine the applicants ....... 122 The Motion and the Three Announcements ................................................ 123 V. Forms to be completed before ordination ................................................ 125 Application for Ordination ................................................................................... 125 Guarantee Certificate .............................................................................................. 126 VI. Voluntary disrobing from bhikkhuhood ................................................ 127 vii Preface he present work was compiled by H.R.H. the late TSupreme Patriarch for standardizing the method of ordination and so making it easier for those who wished to be ordained. In the days when he was alive, over fifty years ago now (2516), there were Thai men and boys being ordained according to our ancient traditions but very few people from non-Buddhist countries had yet become inter- ested enough in the practice of Dhamma to seek ordina- tion. Now it is different. Every year sees an increase in the numbers of people, eastern and western, who though born in lands where the Dhamma-Vinaya is not wide- spread, yet come to Thailand to become bhikkhus and sàmaõeras. There are revivals of the ancient Buddhist cul- tures in many countries which are now not predominantly Buddhist, such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Bangla- desh, Nepal and India. When many people in these lands wish to know what was the teaching and practice taught by Lord Buddha, some of them will wish to devote all their time to the Dhamma-Vinaya. Then we see knowledge of the Dhamma penetrating to many other countries where it had been unknown till quite recently. Because of this there are now many westerners who come to Thailand seeking ordination and training in the Buddhasàsana. This book will be useful for all those who come from other countries intending to ordain as it gives the com- plete Ordination Procedure in Pàli (which has to be mem- orized)