The Blessed Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. As was their wont, the group of six kept as apprentices anyone whose going forth had been allowed and who had been ordained, but who could not recognize a rogue. Once the apprentices could recognize a rogue, they were entrusted as apprentices to monks of good standing. On the advice of the Teacher, they would on occasion simply look in on their apprentices.
EN
When this came up in conversation, Nanda and Upananda said, “These black begging bowl carriers might as well be snatching babies! Everyone we allow to go forth, they up and snatch away! Let’s allow to go forth the sort that these black begging bowl carriers won’t snatch away.”
EN
Some time later, Upananda was out for a stroll when he saw a man missing his hands and said, “Dear sir, why do you not go forth?”
EN
He replied, “Noble one, as I have no hands, no one will allow me to go forth.”
EN
“Dear sir, the Blessed One’s teachings are characterized by compassion. I shall allow your going forth.” And with that he allowed his going forth and ordination.
EN
After two or three days of teaching him how Dharma practitioners conduct themselves, Upananda said, “Dear sir, game does not eat other game. The whole of Śrāvastī is your field and fatherland, so seek out alms and live on them.”
EN
“Preceptor, how am I to go begging alms?”
EN
“Do you not know even that much? I will show you.”
EN
Upananda tied the handless monk’s under robe on with a cord, fastened his robe up with a pin, placed his begging bowl in the crook of his left arm, and nestled his khakkhara staff in the crook of his right arm. The handless monk had entered Śrāvastī on his rounds when a woman beat on his chest and cried, “Noble one! Who cut off the hands of a renunciant?”
EN
“Sister,” he replied, “my hands were cut off when I was still a householder. They were not cut off after I went forth.”
EN
“Who allowed your going forth?”
EN
“The preceptor Upananda.”
EN
The people said, “Who else but a rogue would allow the going forth of someone like him?”
EN
The monks then asked the Blessed One about it, and the Blessed One thought, “All those shortcomings ensue from the monks allowing the going forth of those without hands.”
EN
Then the Blessed One decreed, “Monks, in light of this, monks should not allow going forth, nor grant ordination, to those who are missing hands. A breach occurs if you allow their going forth and grant them ordination. Just as it is so for persons whose hands have been cut off, it is also so for persons missing a leg, persons with hands of webbed fingers, persons with no lips, persons whose bodies have been branded, scarred by a whip, or tattooed, or the very old. Monks, if you allow the going forth of those who are too young, they will spoil the saṅgha’s bedding with urine and feces.” The Blessed One decreed, “Their going forth should not be allowed either.”
EN
“The going forth of persons with mobility impairments is also being allowed,” the Blessed One said. “Neither should their going forth be allowed.”
EN
“The going forth of loose women, persons missing an eye, persons whose hands have been cut off, persons with kyphosis, persons of restricted growth, persons with goiters, persons who are speech impaired, persons who are hearing impaired, persons who use mobility aids, and persons with elephantiasis are also being allowed,” the Blessed One said. “People such as they should not be allowed to go forth. If you allow them to go forth, a breach occurs.”
EN
“Monks, the going forth of those worn out by women, those worn out by burdens, those worn out by the road, persons with malabsorption syndromes, and persons with chronic fatigue are also being allowed,” the Blessed One said. “The going forth of such people should not be allowed. If you allow their going forth, a breach occurs.”
EN
There are also other cases that warrant further exclusion.
EN
This was translated by the Kashmiri preceptor Sarvajñādeva, the Indian preceptor Vidyākaraprabha, the Kashmiri preceptor Dharmākara, and the translator Bandé Palgyi Lhünpo. It was then revised and finalized by the Indian preceptor Vidyākaraprabha and the managing editor-translator, Bandé Paltsek.
The Blessed Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. As was their wont, the group of six kept as apprentices anyone whose going forth had been allowed and who had been ordained, but who could not recognize a rogue. Once the apprentices could recognize a rogue, they were entrusted as apprentices to monks of good standing. On the advice of the Teacher, they would on occasion simply look in on their apprentices.
EN
When this came up in conversation, Nanda and Upananda said, “These black begging bowl carriers might as well be snatching babies! Everyone we allow to go forth, they up and snatch away! Let’s allow to go forth the sort that these black begging bowl carriers won’t snatch away.”
EN
Some time later, Upananda was out for a stroll when he saw a man missing his hands and said, “Dear sir, why do you not go forth?”
EN
He replied, “Noble one, as I have no hands, no one will allow me to go forth.”
EN
“Dear sir, the Blessed One’s teachings are characterized by compassion. I shall allow your going forth.” And with that he allowed his going forth and ordination.
EN
After two or three days of teaching him how Dharma practitioners conduct themselves, Upananda said, “Dear sir, game does not eat other game. The whole of Śrāvastī is your field and fatherland, so seek out alms and live on them.”
EN
“Preceptor, how am I to go begging alms?”
EN
“Do you not know even that much? I will show you.”
EN
Upananda tied the handless monk’s under robe on with a cord, fastened his robe up with a pin, placed his begging bowl in the crook of his left arm, and nestled his khakkhara staff in the crook of his right arm. The handless monk had entered Śrāvastī on his rounds when a woman beat on his chest and cried, “Noble one! Who cut off the hands of a renunciant?”
EN
“Sister,” he replied, “my hands were cut off when I was still a householder. They were not cut off after I went forth.”
EN
“Who allowed your going forth?”
EN
“The preceptor Upananda.”
EN
The people said, “Who else but a rogue would allow the going forth of someone like him?”
EN
The monks then asked the Blessed One about it, and the Blessed One thought, “All those shortcomings ensue from the monks allowing the going forth of those without hands.”
EN
Then the Blessed One decreed, “Monks, in light of this, monks should not allow going forth, nor grant ordination, to those who are missing hands. A breach occurs if you allow their going forth and grant them ordination. Just as it is so for persons whose hands have been cut off, it is also so for persons missing a leg, persons with hands of webbed fingers, persons with no lips, persons whose bodies have been branded, scarred by a whip, or tattooed, or the very old. Monks, if you allow the going forth of those who are too young, they will spoil the saṅgha’s bedding with urine and feces.” The Blessed One decreed, “Their going forth should not be allowed either.”
EN
“The going forth of persons with mobility impairments is also being allowed,” the Blessed One said. “Neither should their going forth be allowed.”
EN
“The going forth of loose women, persons missing an eye, persons whose hands have been cut off, persons with kyphosis, persons of restricted growth, persons with goiters, persons who are speech impaired, persons who are hearing impaired, persons who use mobility aids, and persons with elephantiasis are also being allowed,” the Blessed One said. “People such as they should not be allowed to go forth. If you allow them to go forth, a breach occurs.”
EN
“Monks, the going forth of those worn out by women, those worn out by burdens, those worn out by the road, persons with malabsorption syndromes, and persons with chronic fatigue are also being allowed,” the Blessed One said. “The going forth of such people should not be allowed. If you allow their going forth, a breach occurs.”
EN
There are also other cases that warrant further exclusion.
EN
This was translated by the Kashmiri preceptor Sarvajñādeva, the Indian preceptor Vidyākaraprabha, the Kashmiri preceptor Dharmākara, and the translator Bandé Palgyi Lhünpo. It was then revised and finalized by the Indian preceptor Vidyākaraprabha and the managing editor-translator, Bandé Paltsek.
Sutraya