Xct Mu Bi Pc 86Giving Ordination to One of Bad Character
Pāli / Sanskrit:Giving ordination to one of bad character
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SUTRA ON GIVING ORDINATION TO A PERSON OF BAD CHARACTER
Background
In the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, personnel matters and the ethical standards of the monastic order are of utmost importance. This sutra appears in the context in which the Buddha and the venerable elders had to establish rules governing the conferral of precepts, a sacred ceremony that cannot be taken lightly, in order to protect the purity of the Sangha.
In the history of the Sangha, not all who wished to go forth had moral qualities worthy of it. Some had unwholesome intentions or were affected by faults such as greed, anger, or deep delusion. If precepts were conferred upon such people without careful consideration, the purity of the Sangha would be defiled, leading to the decline of the true Dharma. Therefore, this Vinaya text was determined in order to protect the integrity of the Sangha and maintain public trust.
Main Content
This sutra establishes that precepts must not be conferred upon people of bad character (pāpaka-sīla). "Bad character" here does not mean merely ordinary faults in worldly life, but conduct or temperament that reflects a deep moral condition: lack of conscience, absence of kindness, or grave wrongs such as killing, deliberate theft, or seriously offensive conduct.
The venerable elders must conduct a careful examination (anusāsanā) before accepting someone into the Sangha. This includes learning about the person's history of actions, their motive for wishing to go forth, and whether they are truly ready to pursue the Dharma. If the candidate for ordination is found to be of bad character, they must be refused, though the refusal should be made with compassion and without causing harm.
This rule also helps protect the person who wishes to go forth.
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