25. Priests, it is improper to suspend those who perform their duty. He who does so is guilty of Dukkata. It is improper, priests, not to suspend those who neglect their duty. He who does not place such under suspension is guilty of Dukkata.

Five reasons are assigned why a pupil may be placed under suspension: If he does not manifest proper affection, attachment, and respect to his preceptor; or if he be without modesty of deportment, or neglect his studies. Under these circumstances if the preceptor suspends him he acts correctly, but if he neglect to suspend him he is culpable.

There were at that time priests of more than ten years standing who were unwise and unlearned, and who yet received other priests as pupils. In consequence of this, in some instances, the preceptor was ignorant and the pupil learned, and much discontent arose: both people and priests complaining of its impropriety. This being brought to the notice of Budha, he investigated the circumstances, reproved the offenders, and decreed:

26. Priests, a person who is unwise and incompetent shall not receive a resident pupil. I permit wise and competent priests, of ten or more years standing, to receive resident pupils.

Some of the superiors (upajjhāyo) and preceptors (achariyo) of the priests having left their former place of residence, and others having left the priesthood or joined other fraternities, and some having died, the priests did not know how far they were released from the duty of attending upon them. The subject was brought to the notice of Budha, who decreed:

27. Priests, for these five reasons a priest is released from the duty of living with his upajjhāyo (superior). If the superior remove to another place; if he leave the priesthood; if he die; if he join some other fraternity; or if he give leave of absence. For any of these reasons a priest is released from the duty of living with his superior.

Priests, for these six reasons a priest is released from the

duty of living with his preceptors (achariyo). If the preceptor remove to another place: if he leave the priesthood; if he die; if he join some other fraternity; if he give leave of absence; or if the pupil return to the residence of his superior. For any of these reasons a priest is relieved from the duty of living with his preceptor.

Budha then defined the qualifications necessary to be possessed by those who became superiors, preceptors, or who have sāmaneros (novices) under them.

1. He should be perfect in moral virtue (i. e. without need of further instruction or advice respecting virtue), in meditation, in wisdom, in deliverance from desire, and in the knowledge resulting from that deliverance: he must also be able to establish others in the same virtues and excellencies.

As there are qualities possessed only by the Rahats, or those delivered from the bonds of existence, and as for many centuries no priest has attained to this perfection, the above rule is not binding at the present time, but the following qualifications are still required: He must be orthodox, modest and grave in his deportment, diligent, wise, able to instruct his pupils and resolve their doubts, well acquainted with the rules of ecclesiastical discipline, free from ecclesiastical censure, and of ten or more years standing in the priesthood.

One who had been a member of another body of teachers, became a Budhist priest: but disputing the doctrines taught by his superior, he left the priesthood and returned to the society to which he formerly belonged. Afterwards he came back and requested ordination again as a Budhist priest. The case being brought before Budha, he decreed:

28. Priests, if any one who has been a member of another body of teachers, shall become a priest, and disputing the doctrines taught by his superior, unite himself again to the body to which he formerly belonged: should he return he must not be re-admitted to Upasampadā.

Should any one, formerly a member of another body of teachers, have a desire to embrace this doctrine and discipline, to become a priest and receive Upasampadā, he shall be received on probation for four months. The permission shall be granted as follows:

First, having caused the head and beard to be shaven and a yellow garment to be put on, the candidate shall remove his garment from one shoulder, worship the feet of the priests, and kneeling down say, with uplifted hands, I take refuge in Budha, I take refuge in Damma (his doctrine), I take refuge in the Sangho (the priesthood). A second time I take refuge in Budha, I take refuge in Damma, I take refuge in the Sangho. A third time I take refuge in Budha, I take refuge in Damma, I take refuge in the Sangho.

Then, priests, the candidate shall come to the Sangho, remove his garment from one shoulder, worship the feet of the priests, and kneeling down say with uplifted hands, Lords! I, N., have been a member of such a body of teachers. I desire to receive this doctrine and discipline, and to obtain Upasampada. Lords! I request four months' probation: a second and a third time he is to make this request.

A fluent and learned priest shall then make this known to the Sangho, saying, Hear me, my Lord the Sangho, such a person, formerly a member of another body of teachers, desires to receive this doctrine and discipline, and to obtain Upasampada. He requests to be admitted to a probation of four months. If it be a convenient time for the Sangho, the Sangho will admit this person, formerly a member of another body of teachers, to a probation of four months. This is the proposition.

Hear me, my Lord the Sangho, this person, formerly a member of another body of teachers, desires to receive this doctrine and discipline and to obtain Upasampada: he requests to be admitted to a probation of four months. The Sangho grants a probation of four months to this person, formerly a

member of another body of teachers. If any venerable one consents to grant four months probation to this person, formerly a member of another body of teachers, let him remain silent. If he do not consent let him speak. Probation for four months is given by the Sangho to this person, formerly a member of another body of teachers. The Sanghó consents and therefore is silent, and thus I receive it.

Budha then explains the reason of this proceeding, arising from the habits of these teachers of other bodies; namely, that they visit the houses for alms at unseasonable hours, (when the women may be sleeping with their persons exposed :) that they resort for alms to places where there are prostitutes, widows and grown up girls, or where there are catamites, or female ascetics; that they are loud and obstreperous in conversation; not careful in the things they ought to be engaged in, are indolent, inquisitive, not under controul, dull in understanding, lose their temper when their doctrines are controverted, and speak against Budha, his doctrines and the priests. He then states that if they continue thus, they ought not to receive Upasampada at the end of their probation.

He also directs, that if the person who seeks to be admitted on probation be a naked ascetic, the Upajjāyo shall supply him with garments and see to his being shaved. That if an ascetic with clotted hair, a worshipper of fire, seek admission to the priesthood, he may be admitted without probation, as their doctrines are correct respecting the results of moral conduct. And that any one who is of the Sakya race is to have the same privilege, although he may have been a member of any other body of teachers; and that he concedes this to them as being of the same race with himself.

At one period great sickness prevailed in Magadha, especially leprosy (o kutt'han), ulcers (∞ gando, eruptions of various kinds), dry itch ( ̧ɔɔ), consumption (~ IOWI), and epilepsy (on); these were named the five diseases. A number of persons sought the aid of the king's physician, offering him the whole of their property, and even to become

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his slaves, if he would undertake their cure. The physician replied, that he could not possibly attend to them, his duty to the king, to the royal household, to Budha and his priests, who were placed under his care by the king, occupying the whole of his time. Upon this some of the men determined to join the priesthood that they might obtain the aid of the royal physician. They accordingly went to the priests, were admitted, and received ordination. Being priests the physician prescribed for them, and they were restored to health, After this they left the priesthood. The physician meeting one of them recognized him and said, Were you not a priest? He acknowledged it, and stated that he had been a priest solely to obtain his aid as a physician, and that upon being cured he had left the priesthood. The physician was much displeased, and complained to Budha, requesting him to prohibit persons having these diseases being admitted into the priesthood. Budha soothed his mind with religious discourse, and upon his departure decreed:

29. Priests, it is not proper to admit into the priesthood any person who is affected with the five diseases. He who admits such a person into the priesthood is guilty of Dukkata.

Disturbances having occurred in the provinces, the king of Magadha ordered his troops to quell them. Some of the celebrated warriors thought, If we go delighting in war, we shall commit sin and bring much demerit upon ourselves; by what means shall we escape so as to avoid committing sin and be able to perform, good works. The priests are good and virtuous men: if we join the priesthood our object will be accomplished. They accordingly went to the priests, were admitted into the priesthood and received Upasampadā. When the commander of the forces enquired where such and such soldiers were, he was informed that they had become priests. Upon learning this he was much displeased, and reported the case to the king Bimbisāro, stating that such persons ought to be capitally punished, together with those who had admitted them into the priesthood.