San Lo Mvu 100The Ordination of the Thirty Companions

Exposition of the Sutta: The Going Forth of the Thirty Friends

Background

The Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition consists of texts that regulate the wise conduct of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. This sutta, belonging to the San Lo Mvu section (stories of going forth), records an important event in the history of the Sangha - when the Buddha received a group of thirty young companions into the Sangha.

The historical context shows that, after the Buddha attained awakening and began to teach the Dharma, he did not teach only adults, but also saw the potential for practice in young men whose hearts were inclined toward the Dharma. These thirty, according to tradition, were friends, perhaps from the same region or the same way of life. When they encountered the Buddha, they gained an initial understanding of the truth of the Dharma and aspired to go forth and practice.

Main Content

The sutta describes the process of receiving and arranging the going forth for this group of thirty. The Buddha, with radiant wisdom and boundless compassion, did not require them to undergo complex rituals, but gave them only essential instructions: follow the Vinaya, cultivate collectedness of mind, and practice according to the Dharma.

These men were received into the Sangha through simple yet meaningful verses. They were not believers without cause, but people who truly had a spiritual need and were ready to dedicate their youth to the path of liberation. In the Pāli Canon, this event is often mentioned as evidence of the inclusiveness of the Sangha - a place where all whose hearts incline toward the Dharma are welcomed, regardless of birth.

The sutta also records that, after going forth, these monks made unceasing effort in practice, and each in turn attained accomplishments in the holy life, including supreme wisdom (arahatta - the fruition of arhatship). This shows the ideal of the early Sangha: not lavish rites, but sincere aspiration and firm practice of the Dharma.