BUDDniSM. 



181 



some means or other, O lord, I have heard the Dhamma 

 declared by Bhagawa, (but) it is not easy to practise the truly 

 complete, holy, and spotless Brahmachariya, by those who are 

 householders and dwell in the lay state ; it is good, therefore, 

 if I, having shaven my head and beard, assumed the yellow 

 robes, and renounced the lay state, become a mendicant cleric. 

 May Bhagawa ordain me ! Hast thou, Sudinno, obtained the 

 consent of thy mother and father, to renounce the lay state and 

 become a mendicant cleric? I have not, O Lord, obtained the 

 consent of my mother and father to renounce the lay state and 

 become a mendicant cleric. O Sudinno, Tathagato does not 

 ordain him who has not obtained the consent of his mother and 

 father. He said, I, Lord, will do so, since my mother and 

 father may consent to my renouncing the world and becoming 

 a mendicant cleric. 



Then Sudinno, having finished whatever he had to do in 

 Wesali, went to Kalanda village, where his mother and father 

 were, and having arrived there, said this to his mother and 

 father :■— O mother, O father, by some means or other, I have 

 heard the Dhamma preached by Bhagawa, (but) it is not easy 

 to practise the truly complete, holy, and spotless Brahma* 

 chariya, by those who are householders, and dwell in the lay 

 state. I wish to receive tonsure, assume the yellow robes* 

 and become a mendicant cleric, separate from the laity. Grant 

 permission to become a mendicant cleric, separate from the 

 liaty. When he had thus spoken, the mother and father of 

 Sudinno said to Sudinno, O thou child, Sudinno, who art dear 

 (to us) ; thou hast pleasure, and hast been tenderly nourished, 

 thou hast not experienced any sorrow. Even by death we 

 cannot desire your separation. What ! shall we then consent, 

 while you are alive, that you should separate from the laity, 

 and become a mendicant cleric ? 



