San Mu Kd 1Pravrajyavastu

Exposition of the Pravrajyavastu Sūtra

Background

Pravrajyavastu (Pāli: Pabbajjā Vastuṃ) is the opening section of the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. It is the legal foundation of monastic life in the Sangha, recording the historical moment when the Buddha permitted practitioners to go forth.

This section belongs to the time after the Buddha attained awakening beneath the Bodhi tree and began the causal work of spreading the Dharma. At that time, the first disciples, such as Kondañña, the three Kassapa brothers, and many noble ones, requested permission to go forth under the Blessed One. From the instructions in Pravrajyavastu, the rule of going forth was established, marking the birth of the Sangha community, one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism.

Main Content

Pravrajyavastu records the initial procedures and conditions that anyone wishing to go forth must observe. The text makes clear that the Buddha’s permission to go forth is an exceedingly precious wholesome karma. Those requesting "Pabbajjā" (going forth) must show sincere aspiration and be ready to abandon family, property, and worldly attachments.

The main content revolves around the conditions for one requesting ordination: they must make the request themselves, with their own mouth, not through parents or another representative; they must have the consent of the presiding person, now called the preceptor; and they must follow the Buddha’s teaching in each step of practice.

This section also states prohibitions, actions that violate monastic law, and ways of dealing with such violations. In particular, it sets forth the ten training rules (Dasa Śikṣāpadāni), the ten basic disciplinary rules that every monastic must observe from the time of going forth. These rules are not imposed unfairly, but were established by the Buddha according to the needs of the Sangha community in order to maintain purity and harmony.

Practical Meaning

Pravrajyavastu teaches us that going forth is not a light or casual act.