Lzh Mi Bi Vb Pc 196Delaying Ordination
Pāli / Sanskrit:Delaying ordination
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DISCOURSE ON DELAYING THE RECEPTION OF ORDINATION
Background
This discourse appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, in the Pātimokkha Saṁvara section, the disciplinary code of the Buddhist Sangha. Specifically, it is one of the Pācittiya rules, lighter offenses requiring confession. This rule was established to protect the integrity and seriousness of the process of going forth, as well as to maintain discipline in the community of monks and nuns.
The circumstances that gave rise to this discourse are connected with practical issues faced by the Sangha in the Buddha’s time. There were cases in which candidates wishing to go forth had the ordination process delayed, or in which a preceptor (upajjhāya or ācārya) deliberately delayed granting ordination for unjustified reasons. This caused instability in the governance of monks and nuns and affected the confidence of those undertaking the practice.
Main Content
The Discourse on Delaying the Reception of Ordination states that a senior teacher, one who has received ordination, must not intentionally delay too long in granting ordination to a candidate who wishes to go forth when that person’s conditions and preparation are sufficient. If the teacher deliberately delays without a proper reason, such as the lack of legal conditions or the candidate not yet being ready to practice, then that teacher commits a Pācittiya offense.
The reason for establishing this rule is to ensure that the process of going forth takes place solemnly and in a timely manner. Theravāda Buddhism values the opportunity for liberation, and excessive delay can cause a candidate to lose motivation for practice. Moreover, the rule also protects monks and nuns from abuses of power or impure motives on the part of leaders in the Sangha.
This rule emphasizes that ordination must be carried out according to the proper procedure, with the confirmation of the Sangha, and must not be governed by personal aims or unhealthy bargaining. At the same time, it also expresses the responsibility of those already gone forth toward those newly wishing to enter the path of practice.
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