While the Blessed Buddha was staying at the Banyan Park near Kapilavastu, he allowed the going forth of members from each Śākya family in Kapilavastu. Their relatives came to see the newly ordained, who taught the Dharma to their assembled family members, and they in turn, upon hearing the Dharma, sought to go forth on the spot. Among those who, upon hearing the Dharma, were allowed to go forth on the spot were the fathers of some Śākya women, their brothers-in-law, their husbands, brothers, and sons. Overwhelmed by grief, the Śākya women cried out in misery in the twilight.
EN
In the twilight, King Śuddhodana heard the sound of a great many Śākya women crying out in misery. Hearing their cries, he asked the Śākyas, “Gentlemen, why do so many Śākya women cry out in misery in the twilight?”
EN
“Your Majesty,” they replied, “the going forth of certain noble ones and sons of noble families has been allowed, and they have been ordained without the consent of their parents. The going forth of the fathers, brothers-in-law, husbands, brothers, and sons of some Śākya women has also been allowed. Thus, overwhelmed by grief, the Śākya women cry out in misery in the twilight.”
EN
“This is my responsibility and my responsibility alone,” thought King Śuddhodana, “so I must go to see the Blessed One.” King Śuddhodana went to see the Blessed One and on arriving, bowed his head at the Blessed One’s feet before taking a seat off to one side. The king then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, I have a worthy suit. Tathāgata, I have a worthy suit.”
EN
“Great king, if you insist on passing up the boons of the tathāgatas, arhats, and perfectly complete buddhas, tell me, what favor could I grant you?”
EN
“One that noble beings would find easy.”
EN
“If I find it easy, I shall grant it.”
EN
“Reverend, when the Blessed One was born, the Blessed One was destined to become king of the world. I even thought I would soar through the sky and see the four continents, my delight and pleasure being not inconsiderable.
EN
“Reverend, when the Blessed One became a renunciant, what hopes I had for you to become king of the world were dashed. So instead, I went on to think that the prince Sundarananda would conquer and become king of the world. When those hopes were shown to be just that, and the prince Sundarananda became a renunciant, the hopes I had for conquering and for becoming king of the world were dashed too. So instead, I then went on to think that the prince Rāhulabhadra would become a king of real command. When those hopes were shown to be just that, and the prince Rāhulabhadra became a renunciant, what hopes I had for becoming a king of real command were completely and utterly dashed too.
EN
“Reverend, if only it were otherwise and your parents could have found satisfaction in you! Reverend, these noble monks are allowing the going forth of sons of noble families and ordaining them without their parents’ consent. O Blessed One! It would be good if, in your compassion, you were to give some consideration to prohibiting the noble ones from allowing the going forth of sons of noble families and their ordination without their parents’ consent.”
EN
By keeping silent, the Blessed One assented to King Śuddhodana. Understanding the Blessed One’s silence to be assent, King Śuddhodana bowed his head at the Blessed One’s feet and took his leave.
EN
The Blessed One thought, “All those shortcomings ensue from monks allowing the going forth of sons of noble families and their ordination without their parents’ consent.” He then decreed, “In light of this, monks should not allow the going forth of sons of noble families or ordain them without their parents’ consent. If someone approaches any of you wishing to go forth, ask him, ‘Have your parents given their consent?’ If you allow going forth without asking this, a breach occurs.”
EN
After the Blessed One had decreed, “A monk should not allow the going forth of sons of noble families or ordain them without their parents’ consent,” the monks did not allow others to go forth who came, without their parents’ consent, from faraway lands where their parents could not be consulted. Thus, their going forth not allowed, the hopefuls turned back.
EN
When that proved to be an impediment to monkhood, the state of having gone forth and been ordained in the well-proclaimed Dharma and Vinaya, the monks asked the Blessed One about it, and he decreed, “Those who come without their parents’ consent from faraway lands where their parents cannot be consulted should be allowed to go forth. This you need not regret.”
EN
A summary:
EN
Scaring away a crow, violators, Impostors, person labeled a paṇḍaka, Creatures, tīrthikas, Matricides, and patricides.
While the Blessed Buddha was staying at the Banyan Park near Kapilavastu, he allowed the going forth of members from each Śākya family in Kapilavastu. Their relatives came to see the newly ordained, who taught the Dharma to their assembled family members, and they in turn, upon hearing the Dharma, sought to go forth on the spot. Among those who, upon hearing the Dharma, were allowed to go forth on the spot were the fathers of some Śākya women, their brothers-in-law, their husbands, brothers, and sons. Overwhelmed by grief, the Śākya women cried out in misery in the twilight.
EN
In the twilight, King Śuddhodana heard the sound of a great many Śākya women crying out in misery. Hearing their cries, he asked the Śākyas, “Gentlemen, why do so many Śākya women cry out in misery in the twilight?”
EN
“Your Majesty,” they replied, “the going forth of certain noble ones and sons of noble families has been allowed, and they have been ordained without the consent of their parents. The going forth of the fathers, brothers-in-law, husbands, brothers, and sons of some Śākya women has also been allowed. Thus, overwhelmed by grief, the Śākya women cry out in misery in the twilight.”
EN
“This is my responsibility and my responsibility alone,” thought King Śuddhodana, “so I must go to see the Blessed One.” King Śuddhodana went to see the Blessed One and on arriving, bowed his head at the Blessed One’s feet before taking a seat off to one side. The king then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, I have a worthy suit. Tathāgata, I have a worthy suit.”
EN
“Great king, if you insist on passing up the boons of the tathāgatas, arhats, and perfectly complete buddhas, tell me, what favor could I grant you?”
EN
“One that noble beings would find easy.”
EN
“If I find it easy, I shall grant it.”
EN
“Reverend, when the Blessed One was born, the Blessed One was destined to become king of the world. I even thought I would soar through the sky and see the four continents, my delight and pleasure being not inconsiderable.
EN
“Reverend, when the Blessed One became a renunciant, what hopes I had for you to become king of the world were dashed. So instead, I went on to think that the prince Sundarananda would conquer and become king of the world. When those hopes were shown to be just that, and the prince Sundarananda became a renunciant, the hopes I had for conquering and for becoming king of the world were dashed too. So instead, I then went on to think that the prince Rāhulabhadra would become a king of real command. When those hopes were shown to be just that, and the prince Rāhulabhadra became a renunciant, what hopes I had for becoming a king of real command were completely and utterly dashed too.
EN
“Reverend, if only it were otherwise and your parents could have found satisfaction in you! Reverend, these noble monks are allowing the going forth of sons of noble families and ordaining them without their parents’ consent. O Blessed One! It would be good if, in your compassion, you were to give some consideration to prohibiting the noble ones from allowing the going forth of sons of noble families and their ordination without their parents’ consent.”
EN
By keeping silent, the Blessed One assented to King Śuddhodana. Understanding the Blessed One’s silence to be assent, King Śuddhodana bowed his head at the Blessed One’s feet and took his leave.
EN
The Blessed One thought, “All those shortcomings ensue from monks allowing the going forth of sons of noble families and their ordination without their parents’ consent.” He then decreed, “In light of this, monks should not allow the going forth of sons of noble families or ordain them without their parents’ consent. If someone approaches any of you wishing to go forth, ask him, ‘Have your parents given their consent?’ If you allow going forth without asking this, a breach occurs.”
EN
After the Blessed One had decreed, “A monk should not allow the going forth of sons of noble families or ordain them without their parents’ consent,” the monks did not allow others to go forth who came, without their parents’ consent, from faraway lands where their parents could not be consulted. Thus, their going forth not allowed, the hopefuls turned back.
EN
When that proved to be an impediment to monkhood, the state of having gone forth and been ordained in the well-proclaimed Dharma and Vinaya, the monks asked the Blessed One about it, and he decreed, “Those who come without their parents’ consent from faraway lands where their parents cannot be consulted should be allowed to go forth. This you need not regret.”
EN
A summary:
EN
Scaring away a crow, violators, Impostors, person labeled a paṇḍaka, Creatures, tīrthikas, Matricides, and patricides.
Sutraya