Lzh Mi Bi Pm Pc 192Giving Ordination Alone

Explanation of the Discourse: Giving Ordination Alone

Background

This discourse appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the early Buddhist tradition, specifically within the Pātimokkha, the prohibitory rules, in the Bhikkhu Pācittiya section, offenses requiring confession. It reflects a practical situation in the administration of the Sangha when early bhikkhus needed guidance concerning the formal procedure for ordination.

In the context of Theravāda Buddhism, ordination (upasampadā) is an essential rite by which a bhikkhu is formally recognized within the community. This process usually requires certification by a group of bhikkhus of the prescribed number. This discourse, however, addresses the case in which only a single bhikkhu performs the ordination.

This legal context was recorded to clarify the limitations and conditions under which such an action might be recognized, and also to prevent violations arising from ignorance or deliberate noncompliance with the rule.

Main Content

The discourse states that ordination must not be performed by a single bhikkhu alone. This is an important principle in the disciplinary system of the Theravāda Sangha. Normally, an ordination ceremony must be conducted by a parisā, an assembly of several bhikkhus, with one appointed as the kammavācaka, the reciter of the formal act, while the others serve as witnesses.

If a bhikkhu on his own initiative ordains another person without the attestation of the community, this action is regarded as a Pācittiya offense. This is not because the act of ordination itself is bad, but because it violates the procedure and communal structure established by the Buddha to ensure the integrity of the Sangha.

This regulation has profound meaning: it protects the authenticity of renunciation, ensuring that those entering the Sangha are formally recognized by the community, not by an individual.