Lzh Sarv Bi Vb Pc 120Giving Ordination to One of Bad Character
Pāli / Sanskrit:Giving ordination to one of bad character
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Exposition of the Sutta on Giving Ordination to a Person of Bad Character
Background
This sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon and was legislated to protect the purity of the Sangha and maintain the honor of the Buddhadharma. In the early period of Buddhism, when monastic institutions were newly formed, the issue of examining the character of those seeking ordination became urgent. Not everyone who asked to go forth was suited to wear the robe of the Sangha, especially those with a history of serious offenses or poor character.
This text records a specific situation in which some monastics made the mistake of allowing people of bad character, such as those who had committed grave crimes, violated secular legal obligations, or behaved improperly, to go forth without careful screening. This is a fault in Sangha law (Saṃghādicamma), because it diminishes the purity of the Sangha.
Main Content
According to the traditional Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, when giving ordination to someone (Pabbajjā or Upasampada), members of the Sangha must carefully examine the background, character, and intention of the candidate. Certain standards must be met: the candidate must not be another person’s slave, must have parental consent if the parents are living, must not have contagious or impure diseases, and most importantly, must have a genuine aspiration to practice.
This sutta warns that admitting people of bad character, those fleeing the law, those who have committed great crimes, or those with deceitful character, into the Sangha is a violation of discipline. The consequences of this mistake affect not only the individual but also harm the whole religious community. The Sangha loses the trust of lay society, the discipline of the Sangha is weakened, and those who truly practice are also implicated.
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