Mahavagga, Khandaka 1, Chapter 29

1. At that time a certain Bhikkhu shortly after having received the upasampadā ordination, abandoned himself to bad conduct. The Bhikkhus said to him: 'You ought not to do so, friend; it is not becoming.'

He replied: 'I never asked you, Sirs, saying, "Confer on me the upasampadā ordination." Why have you ordained me without your being asked?'

They told this thing to the Blessed One.

'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, ordain a person unless he has been asked to do so. He who does, commits a dukkaṭa offence. I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you ordain only after having been asked.

2. 'And (a Bhikkhu) ought to be asked in this way: Let him who desires to receive the upasampadā ordination, go to the Saṃgha, adjust his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, salute the feet of the Bhikkhus with his head, sit down squatting, raise his joined hands, and say: "I ask the Saṃgha, reverend Sirs, for the upasampadā ordination; might the Saṃgha, reverend Sirs, draw me out (of the sinful world) out of compassion towards me." And for the second time, &c.; and for the third time let him ask, &c.

3. 'Then let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following ñatti before the Saṃgha: "Let the Saṃgha, reverend Sirs, hear me. This person N. N. desires to receive the upasampadā ordination from the venerable N. N.; N. N. asks the Saṃgha for the upasampadā ordination with N. N. as upajjhāya. If the Saṃgha is ready, &c,^[1]"'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Here follows the complete formula of a ñatticatuttha kamma, as in chap. 28. 4-6. The only difference is, that here in the ñatti, as well as in the three questions, the words 'N. N. asks the Saṃgha for the upasampadā ordination with N. N. as upajjhāya' are inserted after the words 'desires to receive the upasampadā ordination from the venerable N.N.'