Upasampadā (final ordination)

Upasampadā was the final ordination in Buddhist system. It was equivalent to Samāvartana ceremony. But the philosophies behind the Samāvartana and Upasampadā were however different. The former was termination of formal education for entry in to the second cycle of Catūrāsram i.e., family life, while the later was the termination of formal education for admission in to the Order as a full fledged Monk. The Upasampadā exercised lifelong binding upon the Monk. But the Samāvartana not give any binding upon the Brahmacāri. The Brahmanical education adduces the example of lifelong Brahmacāri (Nasiṣṭhiksa); but they are few and far between. If anyone not likes to continue his education, then after the Convocation ceremony he was able to enter in to the family life. But Buddhists on the other hand, impose lifelong restriction upon the Monks. If woman too were admitted to the Order of Monkhood, this discipline was imposed upon them as well. But if any Monk wanted to withdraw himself from the Saṃgha, the procedure was simple and easy. Any Monk under the circumstances of breaking the solemn pledge or falling a victim to worldly temptation was liable to expelled from the Holly order for life time. He had to make a declaration of his weakness before a witness not necessarily a Monk^[1].

Age:

A person between fifteen and twenty years of age could perform the final ordination or Upasampadā. Because the period between the two ordination was not continued beyond the twentieth year of the postulant. But in case of the postulant being previously a member of another monastic Order, then the period of novitiate was however reduced to four months^[2].

Eligibility for the Upasampadā:

The Buddhist Monastery was open to all courses and not merely to the three twice born. But in case of Upasampadā or final ordination, then after go through the Pabbaja ceremony, a person was allowed to perform Upasampadā ceremony. But in case he was suffered from diseases, have serious moral defects and confirmed criminals, shameless person, then he was not allowed to performed the final ordination^[3].

The Ceremonies:

After the twelve years of education, a novice was allowed to perform the final ordination. He was now learned competent bhikṣu, who had completed twelve years of education. So he must enter in to the Saṃgha as full fledged Monk to continue his education. The Upasampadā was performed before the entire saṃgha. The procedure of this final ordination was laid down as follows: During the Upasampadā ceremony a ten special members of assemblies were convened. When this assembly gives the permission then the actual ceremony was started. First the individual teacher presented the student before the house and prayed for Upasampadā^[4] : “Let the Saṃgha, reverend Sirs, hear me. N.N. desires to receive the Upasampadā ordination from venerable N.N (i.e. with the venerable N.N. as his Upajjahāya); he has been instructed by me. If the Saṃgha is ready, let N.N come”. On the permission being granted, the candidate appeared before the assembly, adjusted his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, saluted the feet of the Bhikṣu with his head, sat down squatting, raised his joined hands and thrice uttered this formula: ‘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.”

Then the learned competent bhikṣu moved the following resolution^[5] :

“Let the Saṃgha, reverend Sirs, hear me. This person N.N. desires to receive the Upasampadā ordination from the venerable N.N. If the Saṃgha is ready, let me ask N.N. about the disqualifications.”

Permission being granted as follows^[6] :

“Do you hear, N.N. This is the time for you to speak the truth and to say that which is. When I ask you before the assembly about that which is, you ought, if it is so, to answer ‘It is’; if it is not so, you ought to answer ‘It is not’.

Then followed the string questions^[7] : “Are you afflicted with the following diseases? Leprosy, boils, dry leprosy, consumption, fits? Are you a man? Are you a male? Are you free man? Have you no debts? Are you not in the royal service? Have you father and mother given their consent? Are you full twenty years old? Are your alms bowl and your robes in due state? What is your name? What is your Upajjhāya’s name?

After satisfactory answers were received, a learned competent bhikṣu proclaimed the following ñatti before the Saṃgha^[8] :

“Let the Saṃgha reverend Sirs, hear me. This person N.N. desires to receive the Upasampadā ordination from the venerable N.N; he is free from the disqualifications; his alms-bowls and robes are in due state. N.N asks the Saṃgha for the Upasampadā ordination with N.N. as Upajjhāya. If the Saṃgha is ready, let the Saṃgha confer or N.N. the Upasampadā ordination with N.N. as Upajjhāya”.

“Let the Saṃgha, reverend Sirs, hear me. This person N.N. desires to receive the upasampadā ordination from the venerable N.N. The Saṃgha confers on N.N. the Upasampadā ordination with an Upajjhāya. Let any one of the venerable brethren who is in favour of the Upasampadā ordination of N.N. with N.N, as Upajjhāya be silent and anyone who is not in favour of it, speak.”

‘And for the second time I thus speak to you: Let the Saṃgha etc. (as before).

‘And for the third time I thus speak to you: Let the Saṃgha etc. (as before).

“N.N. has received the Upasampadā ordination from the Saṃgha with N.N. as Upajjhāya. The Saṃgha is in favour of it, therefore it is silent. Thus I understand.”^[9]

As soon as the ceremony of ordination was over, the newly ordained Monk carefully taught the four Requisites (nissayā) and the four Interdicts (akaraṇīyāni) of the monastic life.

The four Requisites (nissayā)^[10] were:—

a. A Bhikṣu who has received the Upasampadā ordination, eat the food collected in the alms bowl only;
b. A Bhikṣu who has received the Upasampadā ordination, wear the robes made of rags collected;
c. A Bhikṣu who has received the Upasampadā ordination, lodge at the foot of a tree; and
d. A Bhikṣu who has received the Upasampadā ordination, use the Cow urine as medicine.

The four Interdicts (akaraṇīyāni)^[11] were:—

a) A Bhikṣu who has received the Upasampadā ordination, ought to abstain from all sexual intercourse even with an animal.
b) A Bhikṣu who has received the Upasampadā ordination, ought to abstain from taking what is not given to him and from theft, even at of a blade of grass
c) A Bhikṣu who has received the Upasampadā ordination, ought not intentionally to destroy the life of any being down to a worm or an ant.
d) A Bhikṣu who has received the Upasampadā ordination, ought not to attribute to himself any super human condition.

In this way the Buddhist Upasampadā or final ordination was completed.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Mookerji, R.K. Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist), Motilal Banarasi Dass Publishers, Delhi 2011, P. 402.

[2]:

So haṃ bhante saṃgham cattāro mase parivāsaṃ yācāmiti. Mahāvagga I.38.3.

[3]:

Na bhikkhive anuppajjhāyaho upasampādatabbo. Ibid.I.69.

[4]:

Suṇātu me bhante saṃgo……………yadi saṃghassa pattakallaṃ saṃgho ittannāmaṃ upasampādeyya itthannāmena upajjhāyena|| Mahāvāgga.I.28.4. Tena Upasampadāpekkhena Saṃgham…………….dutiyam pi yacitabbo-la tatiyam pi yācitabo-la-|| Ibid I.29.2.

[5]:

Vyatte na bhukkunā paṭibalena ñāpetabbo……………………….yadi saṃghassa pattakalaṃ saṃgho itthannāmaṃ upasampādeyya itthannāmena upajjhāyena || Ibid.I.29.3.

[6]:

Sunasi itthannama………………..ma kho vitthasi, ma kho ahosi || Ibid.I.76.7.

[7]:

Santi te evarūpā ābādhā kuṭṭam gaṇḍo kilāso soso apamāro……………………….kiṃnāmo si, konāmo te upajjhāyo’ti|| Mahāvagga.I.76.1.

[8]:

Vyattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena saṃgho ñāpetabbo………………esā ñatti || Ibid I.76.10.

[9]:

Suṇātu me bhante saṃgho…………..khama saṃghassa, tasmā tuṇhī, evam etaṃ dhārayāmīti || Mahāvagga.I.28.5-6.

[10]:

Anujanami bhikkhave upasampadentena cattaro nissaye acikkhitum………………………aitrekalabho sappi navanitam telam madhu phanitam ti || Ibid.I.30.4.

[11]:

Upasampannena bhikkhunā methuno dhanmo na paṭisevitabbo antamso triracchānagataya pi|| Ibid I.78.2.
Upasampannena bhikkhunā adinnaṃ theyyasaṃkhātam na ādātabbaṃ antamaso tiṇasalākam upādāya|| Ibid. I.78.3.
Upasampannena bhikkhunā sañcicca pāṇo jīvitā hovoropetabbo antamaso kunthakipilliakaṃ upādāya|| Ibid. I.78.4.
Upasampannena bhikkhunā uttarimanussadhammo na ullapitabbo antamaso suññāgāre abhiramāmīti|| Ibid. I.78.5.