Mahavagga, Khandaka 1, Chapter 25

Note: The chief object of the first book being to discuss the regulations for the upasampadā ordination, at which the preceptor (upajjhāya) of the candidate has a principal part, the text now goes on to relate the institution of the office and upajjhāyas, and to explain the mutual duties incumbent on upajjhāyas and pupils (saddhivihārikas).

1. At that time some Bhikkhus, as they had no upajjhāyas (preceptors) and received no exhortation and instruction, went on their rounds for alms wearing improper under and upper garments (or, wearing their under and upper garments improperly), and in an improper attire. While people were eating, they held out their alms-bowls in which were leavings of food^[1], over the hard food (which the people were eating), and held them out over soft food, and held them out over savoury food, and held them out over drinks. They asked for soup and boiled rice themselves, and ate it; in the dining halls they made a great and loud noise.

2. The people were annoyed, murmured, and became angry (saying), 'How can the Sakyaputtiya Samaṇas go on their rounds for alms wearing improper under and upper garments, . . . . (&c., as in § 1, down to drinks)? How can they make so great and loud a noise in the dining halls? They behave like Brāhmaṇas at the dinners given to them.'

3. Some Bhikkhus heard those people that were annoyed, murmured, and had become angry. Those Bhikkhus who were moderate, frugal, modest, conscientious, anxious for training, were annoyed, murmured, and became angry: 'How can the Bhikkhus go on their rounds for alms wearing improper under and upper garments, &c.? How can they make so great and loud a noise in the dining halls?'

4. These Bhikkhus told this thing to the Blessed One.

In consequence of that and on this occasion the Blessed One, having ordered the fraternity of Bhikkhus to assemble, questioned the Bhikkhus: 'Is it true, O Bhikkhus, that some Bhikkhus go on their rounds, . . . . (&c., down to), that they make a great and loud noise in the dining halls?'

“It is true, Lord.”

5. Then the Blessed Buddha rebuked those Bhikkhus: 'It is improper, O Bhikkhus, what these foolish persons are doing, it is unbecoming, indecent, un worthy of Samaṇas, unallowable, and to be avoided. How can these foolish persons, O Bhikkhus, go on their rounds, &c.? How can they make so great and loud a noise in the dining halls? This will not do, O Bhikkhus, for converting the unconverted, and for augmenting the number of the converted; but it will result, O Bhikkhus, in the unconverted being repulsed (from the faith), and in many of the converted being estranged.'

6. And the Blessed One rebuked those Bhikkhus in many ways, spoke against unfrugality, ill-nature, immoderation, insatiableness, delighting in society, and indolence; spoke in many ways in praise of frugality, good-nature, of the moderate, contented, who have eradicated (sin), who have shaken off (sin), of the gracious, of the reverent, and of the energetic. And having delivered beforethe Bhikkhus a religious discourse in accordance to, and in conformity with these subjects, he thus addressed the Bhikkhus:

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, (that young Bhikkhus choose) an upajjhāya (or preceptor).

'The upajjhāya, O Bhikkhus, ought to consider the saddhivihārika (i.e. pupil) as a son; the saddhivihārika ought to consider the upajjhāya as a father. Thus these two, united by mutual reverence, confidence, and communion of life, will progress, advance, and reach a high stage in this doctrine and discipline.

7. 'And let them choose, O Bhikkhus, an upajjhāya in this way: Let him (who is going to choose an upajjhāya) adjust his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, salute the feet (of the intended upajjhāya), sit down squatting, raise his joined hands, and say: "Venerable Sir, be my upajjhāya; venerable Sir, be my upajjhāya; venerable Sir, be my upajjhāya." (If the other answer): "Well," or, "Certainly," or, "Good," or, "All right," or, "Carry on (your work) with friendliness (towards me)," or should he express this by gesture (lit. by his body). or by word, or by gesture and word, then the upajjhāya has been chosen. If he does not express this by gesture, nor by word, nor by gesture and word, the upajjhāya has not been chosen.

8. 'The saddhivihārika, O Bhikkhus, ought to observe a strict conduct towards his upajjhāya. And these are the rules for his conduct: Let him arise betimes, and having taken off his shoes^[2] and adjusted his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, let him give (to the upajjhāya) the teeth-cleanser and water to rinse his mouth with. Then let him prepare a seat (for the upajjhāya). If there is rice-milk, let him rinse the jug and offer the rice-milk (to the upajjhāya). When he has drunk it, let him give water (to the upajjhāya), take the jug, hold it down, rinse it properly without (damaging it by) rubbing, and put it away. When the upajjhāya has risen, let him take away the seat. If the place is dirty, let him sweep the place.

9. 'If the upajjhāya wishes to go into the village, let (the saddhivihārika) give (to the upajjhāya) his under garment, take (from him) his second under garment (i.e. his house-dress ?), give him his girdle, lay the two upper garments upon each other^[3] and give them (to the upajjhāya), rinse the alms-bowl, and give it him with some water in it. If the upajjhāya wishes (to go with) an attendant Bhikkhu, let him put on his under garment so as to conceal the three circles (viz. the navel and the two knees) and as to cover the body all around; then let him put on his girdle, lay the two upper garments upon each other and put them on, tie the knots, take his alms-bowl, after having it rinsed, and follow the upajjhāya as his attendant. Let him not go too far (from the upajjhāya) nor too near. Let him take (from the upajjhāya) what has been put into his alms-bowl^[4].

10. 'When the upajjhāya speaks, let (the saddhivihārika) not interrupt him. If the upajjhāya is in danger of committing an offence by the words he says, let (the saddhivihārika) keep him back. When (the upajjhāya) turns back (from his alms-pilgrimage), let the saddhivihārika go back (to the Vihāra) before (the upajjhāya), prepares seat, get water for the washing of his feet, a foot-stool, and a towel^[5]; then let him go to meet the upajjhāya, take his bowl and his robe, give him his second under garment (his house-dress ?), and take his under garment. If the robe (of the upajjhāya) is wet with perspiration, let him dry it a while in a hot place, but let him not leave the robe in a hot place. Let him fold up the robe. When folding up the robe, let him fold it up so as to leave (every day) four inches (more than the day before) hanging over at the corners, in order that no fold may arise in the middle of it^[6]. Let him the girdle^[7]. If there is any food received in the alms-bowl, and the upajjhāya desires to eat it, let him give water (to the upajjhāya) and then offer him the food.

11. 'Let him offer to the upajjhāya (water) to drink. When the upajjhāya has finished his meal, let (the saddhivihārika) give him water, take his alms-bowl, hold it down, rinse it properly without (damaging it by) rubbing, pour the water out, and dry (the bowl) a while in some hot place, but let him not leave the bowl in the hot place. Let him put away the alms-bowl and the robe. When he puts away the alms-bowl, let him do so holding the alms-bowl with one hand, and first feeling with the other hand under the bed or under the chair (where he is going to put the bowl), and let him not put the bowl on the bare ground. When he hangs up the robe, let him take the robe with one hand and stroke with the other hand along the bambu peg or rope on which the robe is to be hung up, and hang up the robe so that the border is turned away from him (and turned to the wall), and the fold is turned towards him. When the upajjhāya has risen, let him take away the seat and put away the water for the washing of the feet, the foot-stool, and the towel¹. If the place is dirty, let him sweep the place.

12. 'If the upajjhāya wishes to bathe, let him prepare a bath. If he wants cold water, let him get cold water; if he wants hot water, let him get hot water. If the upajjhāya wishes to go to the jantāghara^[8], let (the saddhivihārika) knead the powder^[9], moisten the clay^[10], take up the chair belonging to the jantāghara, follow the upajjhāya from behind, give him the chair, take his robe and put it aside, give him the powder and the clay. If he is able^[11], let him also enter the jantāghara. When he is going to enter the jantāghara, let him besmear his face with clay, cover himself from before and behind, and thus enter the jantāghara.

13. 'Let him not sit down so as to encroach on senior Bhikkhus, nor let him dislodge junior Bhikkhus from their seats. Let him wait upon the upajjhāya in thejantāghara. When he is going to leave thejantāghara, let him take up the chair belonging to the jantāghara, cover himself from before and behind, and thus leave the jantāghara. Let him wait upon the upajjhāya also in the water. When he has bathed, let (the saddhivihārika) go out of the water first, let him dry his own body, put on his dress, then wipe off the water from his upajjhāya's body, give him his under garment and his upper garment, take the chair belonging to the jantāghara, go before the upajjhāya, prepare a seat for him, and get water for the washing of his feet, a foot-stool, and a towel^[12]. Let him offer to the upajjhāya (water) to drink.

14. 'If (the upajjhāya) likes being called upon to deliver a discourse, let him call upon (the upajjhāya to do so). If (the upajjhāya) likes questions being put to him, let him put questions (to the upajjhāya).

'If the Vihāra, in which the upajjhāya dwells, is dirty, let him clean that Vihāra, if he is able to do so. When cleaning the Vihāra, let him first take away the alms-bowl and the robe (of the upajjhāya) and lay them aside. Let him take away the mat and the sheet^[13] and lay them aside. Let him take away the mattress and the pillow and lay them aside.

15. 'Let him turn down the bed, take it away properly without rubbing it (against the floor) and without knocking it against door or doorpost, and put it aside. Let him turn down the chair, take it away properly without rubbing it (against the floor) and without knocking it against door or doorpost, and put it aside. Let him take away the supporters of the bed^[14] and put them aside. Let him take away the spitting-box and put it aside. Let him take away the board to recline on^[15] and put it aside. Let him take away the carpet, after having noticed how it was spread out, and put it aside. If there are cobwebs in the Vihāra, let him remove them as soon as he sees them. Let him wipe off the casements^[16] and the corners of the room. If a wall which is coated with red chalk, is dirty, let him moisten the mop, wring it out, and scour the wall. If the floor is coated black and is dirty, let him moisten the mop, wring it out, and scour the floor. If the floor is not blacked, let him sprinkle it with water and scrub it in order that the Vihāra may not become dusty. Let him heap up the sweepings and cast them aside.

16. 'Let him bask the carpet in the sunshine, clean it, dust it by beating, take it back, and spread it out as it was spread before. Let him put the supporters of the bed in the sunshine, wipe them take them back, and put them in their place. Let him put the bed in the sunshine, dean it, dust it by beating, turn it down, take it back properly without rubbing it (against the floor) and without knocking it against door and doorpost, and put it in its place. Let him put the chair in the sunshine, &c.^[17] Let him put mattress and pillow in the sunshine, clean them, dust them by beating, take them back, and lay them out as they were laid out before. Let him put the mat and sheet in the sunshine, &c.^[17] Let him put the spittoon in the sunshine, wipe it, take it back, and put it in its place. Let him put in the sunshine the board to recline on, &c.^[17]

17. 'Let him put away the alms-bowl and the robe. When he puts them away (&c., as in § 11, down to:), and hang up the robe so that the border is turned away from him and the fold is turned towards him.

18. 'If dusty winds blow from the East, let him shut the windows on the East. If dusty winds blow from the West, let him shut the windows on the West, &c.^[18] If it is cold weather, let him open the windows by day and shut them at night. If it is hot weather, let him shut the windows by day and open them at night.

19. 'If the cell is dirty, let him sweep the cell. If the store-room is dirty, let him sweep the store-room. If the refectory, &c. If the fire room, &c. If the privy is dirty, let him sweep the privy. If there is no drinkable water, let him provide drinkable water. If there is no food, let him provide food. If there is no water in the waterpot for rinsing the mouth with, let him pour water into the pot.

20. 'If discontent has arisen within the upajjhāya's heart, let the saddhivihārika appease him^[19], or cause him to be appeased (by another), by compose him by religious conversation. If indecision has arisen in the upajjhāya's mind, let the saddhivihārika dispel it, or cause it to be dispelled, or compose him by religious conversation. If the upajjhāya takes to a false doctrine, let the saddhivihārika discuss it, or cause another to discuss it, or compose (the upajjhāya) by religious conversation.

21. 'If the upajjhāya is guilty of a grave offence, and ought to be sentenced to parivāsa discipline^[20], let the saddhivihārika take care that the Saṃgha sentence the upajjhāya to parivāsa discipline. If the upajjhāya ought to be sentenced to recommence his penal discipline, let the saddhivihārika take care that the Saṃgha may order the upajjhāya to recommence his penal discipline. If the mānatta discipline ought to be imposed on the upajjhāya, let the saddhivihārika take care that the Saṃgha impose the mānatta discipline on the upajjhāya. If the upajjhāya is to be rehabilitated (when his penal discipline has been duly undergone), let the saddhivihārika take care that the Saṃgha rehabilitate the upajjhāya.

22. 'If the Saṃgha wishes to proceed against the upajjhāya by the tajjaniyakamma^[21], or the nissaya, or the pabbāganiyakamma, or the patisāraniyakamma, or the ukkhepaniyakamma, let the saddhivihārika do what he can in order that the Saṃgha may not proceed against the upajjhāya or may mitigate the proceeding. Or if thc Saṃgha has instituted a proceeding against him, the tajjaniyakamma, &c., or the ukkhepaniyakamma, let the saddhivihārika do what he can in order that the upajjhāya may behave himself properly, live modestly, and aspire to get clear of his penance, and that the Saṃgha may revoke its sentence.

23. 'If the robe of the upajjhāya must be washed, let the saddhivihārika wash it or take care that the upajjhāya's robe is washed. If a robe must be made for the upajjhāya, let the saddhivihārika make it or take care that the upajjhāya's robe is made. If dye must be boiled for the upajjhāya, &c. If the robe of the upajjhāya must be dyed, &c. When he dyes the robe, let him dye it properly and turn it whenever required, and let him not go away before the dye has ceased to drop.

24. 'Let him not give his alms-bowl to any one without the permission of his upajjhāya. Let him not accept an alms-bowl from any one else without the permission of his upajjhāya. Let him not give his robe to any one else, &c. Let him not accept a robe from any one else; let him not give articles (required for a Bhikkhu) to any one else; let him not receive (such) articles from anyone else; let him not shave the hair of any one else; let him not have his hair shaven by any one else; let him not wait upon any one else; let him not have done service by any one else; let him not execute commissions for any one else; let him not have commissions executed by anyone else; let him not go with anyone else as his attendant; let him not take any one else with him as his attendant; let him not carry any one's food received by him in alms (to the Vihāra); let him not have the food received by himself in alms carried by any one (to the Vihāra) without the permission of his upajjhāya. Let him not enter the village, or go to a cemetery, or go abroad on journeys without the permission of his upajjhāya. If his upajjhāya is sick, let him nurse him as long as his life lasts, and wait until he has recovered.'

End of the duties towards an upajjhāya.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Buddhaghosa has the following note on uttiṭṭhapatta: 'uttiṭṭhapattan ti piṇḍāya caraṇakapattaṃ, tasmiṃ hi manussā u.cciṭṭhasaññino (this word is spelt so in the Paris MS. as well as in the Berlin MS. of the Samanta Pāsādikā; the usual spelling is ucchiṭṭha), tasmā uttiṭṭhapattan ti vuttaṃ. athavā uṭṭhahitvā pattaṃ upanāmentīti evam ettha attho daṭṭhabbo.' We take the word, as the former of Buddhaghosa's two explanations implies, for a composition of ucchiṭṭha. For the conversion of palatal consonants into dentals, see E. Kuhn, Beiträge zur Pali-Grammatik, p. 36, and on the use of the word compare Trenckner's Milinda Pañho, pp. 213, 214.

[2]:

If he had put on shoes for having a walk early in the morning or for keeping his feet clean (Buddhaghosa).

[3]:

Buddhaghosa explains saguṇaṃ katvā by ekato katvā.

[4]:

According to Buddhaghosa the meaning of these words is: If the alms-bowl of the upajjhāya has become too heavy or hot by the food put into it, the saddhivihārika ought to take it and give his own bowl to the upajjhāya.

[5]:

See Chap. 6. 11, with the note.

[6]:

I.e. in order that the folds might not fall upon the same place every day, and the robe might be wom out at that place (Buddhaghosa).

[7]:

The Pāli text is: 'Obhoge kāyabandhanaṃ kātabbaṃ.' Buddhaghosa's note runs as follows: 'Kāyabandhanaṃ saṃgharitvā (read saṃharitvā) cīvarabhoge pakkhipitvā ṭhapetabbaṃ.' We do not venture to offer any conjectures as to the meaning of this passage.

[8]:

A jantāghara (Sansk. yantragṛha, according to Dr. Bühler's conjecture) is a bathing-place for hot sitting baths. See Cullavagga V, 14, 3; VIII, 8; Kuhn's Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachf., XXV, 325.

[9]:

It is first moistened by water and then kneaded into lumps (Buddhaghosa),--no doubt to be rubbed over the person who is bathing.

[10]:

The face was besmeared with moistened clay in order to protect it from the heat. See Cullavagga V, 14, 3.

[11]:

I.e. if he is not prevented by indisposition (Buddhaghosa).

[12]:

See Chap. 6. 11, with the note.

[13]:

See VIII, 16, 3. 4.

[14]:

The bedstead rested on movable supporters. See Cullavagga VI, 2, 5.

[15]:

See Cullavagga VI, 20, 2.

[16]:

See the Samanta Pāsādikā, ap. Minayeff, Prātimokṣa, p.87.

[17]:

As in the preceding clause.

[18]:

The same for North and South.

[19]:

Literally, make it (the discontentedness) clear. Buddhaghosa reads vūpakāsetabbo vūpakāsāpetabbo, which he explains thus: 'vūpakāsetabbo means, "Let (the saddhivihārika) lead him to another place;" vūpakāsāpetabbo means,"Let him tell another Bhikkhu to take the Thera and go with him elsewhere."'

[20]:

The second and third books of the Cullavagga contain a detailed explanation of parivāsa and of the other technical terms contained in this paragraph.

[21]:

The discussion about the tajjaniyakamma and the other disciplinary proceedings alluded to in this paragraph is given in the first book of the Cullavagga.