The Blessed Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, when a householder living in Śrāvastī took a wife of equal caste and together they played with, took pleasure in, and amused one other. The wife with whom he had played, taken pleasure, and amused himself gave birth to a son who was nurtured and grew until he was big.

At a certain point, the householder’s kin had dwindled, his riches had dwindled, and his possessions had dwindled, prompting the thought, “As I am grown old and cannot gain more riches, I shall go forth.”

He then said this to his son, who replied, “Father, if you are to go forth, then I too shall go forth.”

“Son, let us do just that!” said the householder.

He took his son and went to Jetavana, where they approached a monk and he said, “Noble one, I want to go forth.”

The monk replied, “Who is this lad with you?”

“He is my son.”

“Is he to go forth as well?”

“Yes, noble one, he is.”

As the monk had taken a liking to them, he allowed their going forth. For the next two or three days he trained them in their regular duties, and then said, “Gentlemen, game does not eat other game. The whole of Śrāvastī is your field and fatherland, so seek out alms and live on them.”

Early the next morning, the father put on his under robe, picked up his begging bowl and robes, and went to beg alms in Śrāvastī with his novice son. Seeing a burnt piece of bread in the market, the novice said, “Father, ask the shopkeeper to give me the bread.”

“Sir, please give this novice bread,” said the father.

The shopkeeper replied, “Noble one, no one eats for free. So I would ask a few coins in return.”

“Sir, we are renunciants. How could we have a few coins?”

“Noble one, did you raise this novice while a renunciant or householder?”

“A householder.”

“Then give him what you earned while a householder.”

“This novice is but one of many who beg. Come! Let us go!”

Saying this, the father grabbed out for his son’s hand, but his son jumped back, fell down and began to cry.

A great crowd of people saw the two and asked, “Gentlemen, to whom does this novice belong?”

“He is my son,” his father said.

“Why did you make the fruit of your loins go forth?” they asked.

Since the bystanders denounced, disparaged, and insulted him, the monks asked the Blessed One about it, and the Blessed One thought, “All those shortcomings ensue from monks allowing persons who have not yet reached fifteen years to go forth.”

Then he decreed, “That being the case, monks should not allow persons under fifteen years old to go forth. If someone wishing to go forth approaches any of you, ask him if he has reached fifteen years. If you allow going forth without so asking, a breach occurs.”

A summary:

The chapters are of two novices, Those in servitude, debtors, Those without consent, Without consultation, ill persons, and the Śākyas.