Budhism : — Laws of the Budhist Priesthood. 119 



duty of living with his preceptors (achariyo). If the pre- 

 ceptor 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 pos- 

 sessed by those who became superiors, preceptors, or who 

 have samaneros (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 excellen- 

 cies. 



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 ecclesias- 

 tical censure, and of ten or more years standing in the priest- 

 hood. 



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 Upasampada, t 



