BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

Nissaya Chapter 2bhikkhu who is senior to him, he must take dependence with a competent,experienced bhikkhu who is his junior.To be considered competent and experienced enough to deserve release fromdependence, a bhikkhu must meet many of the same general qualifications as thosefor a mentor, except that he need not possess the competence to look after a pupil,and the minimum number of years he needs as a bhikkhu is five. None of the textsdivide the qualifications here into ideal and minimal qualifications, as they do for thementor, but it seems reasonable that the same division would apply here as well.This would give us the following list:The ideal qualifications: The bhikkhu should have an arahant's virtue, concentration,discernment, release, and knowledge and vision of release. He should have faith, asense of shame, compunction, persistence in the practice, and quick mindfulness.He should be free of heavy and light offenses, and possess right view.The minimal qualifications: The bhikkhu must be learned and intelligent, knowingboth Pāṭimokkhas in detail, understanding what is and is not an offense, what is alight offense, what is a heavy offense, and how an offense may be removed. And —the most basic requirement — he must have been ordained as a bhikkhu for at leastfive years (Mv.I.53.5-13).The Commentary to Mv.I.53, in explaining learned, refers to the definition of theterm given by the Commentary to Pc 21, which says that a learned bhikkhu musthave memorized:1. Both Pāṭimokkhas (for the bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs).2. The Four Bhāṇavāras — a set of auspicious chants that are still regularlymemorized in Sri Lanka as the Mahā-parit poṭha.3. A discourse that is helpful as a guide for sermon-giving. (TheCommentary lists as examples the Mahā-Rāhulovāda Sutta (MN 62), theAndhakavinda Sutta (AN V.114), and the Ambaṭṭha Sutta (DN 3).)4. Three kinds of anumodanā (rejoicing in the merit of others) chants: formeals; for auspicious merit-making ceremonies, such as blessing a house;and for non-auspicious ceremonies, i.e., any relating to a death.The Commentary adds that he must also know the rules for such Communitytransactions as the Pāṭimokkha recitation and the Invitation at the end of the Rainsresidence,and be acquainted with themes for tranquility and insight meditationleading to arahantship.This definition of learned is not universally accepted, and some traditions havereworked it. As this is another area where different Communities have differentinterpretations, the wise policy is to adhere to the practice followed in one'sCommunity, as long as it follows the basic requirements in the Canon, mentionedabove.17