[112] tena kho pana samayena aññataraṁ kulaṁ ahivātakarogena kālakataṁ hoti. |
Now on that occasion a certain family had died of cholera. |
tassa pitāputtakā sesā honti. |
Only the father and little son were left. |
te bhikkhūsu pabbajitvā ekato va piṇḍāya caranti. |
Having gone forth among the monks, they went together for alms. |
athakho so dārako pituno bhikkhāya dinnāya upadhāvitvā etadavoca mayhampi tāta dehi mayhampi tāta dehīti. |
Then the boy, as his father was being offered alms, ran up to him and said, “Give some to me, too, daddy! Give some to me, too, daddy!” |
manussā ujjhāyanti khīyanti vipācenti |
People criticized and complained and spread it about, |
abrahmacārino ime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā ayaṁ dārako bhikkhuniyā jātoti. |
“These Sakyan-son contemplatives are uncelibate. This boy was born by a bhikkhunī.” |
assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khīyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. |
The monks heard the people criticizing and complaining and spreading it about. |
athakho te bhikkhū bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. |
Then the monks reported the matter to the Blessed One. |
na bhikkhave ūnapaṇṇarasavasso dārako pabbājetabbo yo pabbājeyya āpatti dukkaṭassāti. |
“Monks, a boy less than 15 years old should not be given the Going-forth. Whoever should give it: an offense of wrong doing.” |
(Mv.I.51.1) [113] tena kho pana samayena āyasmato ānandassa upaṭṭhākakulaṁ saddhaṁ pasannaṁ ahivātakarogena kālakataṁ hoti. |
Now at that time a family who were supporters of Ven. Ānanda — having conviction and confidence — died of cholera. |
dve ca dārakā sesā honti. |
Two boys were left. |
te porāṇakena āciṇṇakappena bhikkhū passitvā upadhāvanti. |
Following their old habits, on seeing monks they ran up to them. |
bhikkhū apasādenti. |
The monks drove them away. |
te bhikkhūhi apasādiyamānā rodanti. |
Being driven away by the monks, they cried. |
athakho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi bhagavatā paññattaṁ na ūnapaṇṇarasavasso dārako pabbājetabboti |
Then the thought occurred to Ven. Ānanda, “It has been laid down by the Blessed One that, ‘A boy less than 15 years old should not be given the Going-forth.’ |
ime ca dārakā ūnapaṇṇarasavassā kena nu kho upāyena ime dārakā na vinasseyyunti. |
“‘And these boys are less than 15 years old. By what strategy could these boys not come to ruin?’” |
athakho āyasmā ānando bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesi. |
So Ven. Ānanda reported the matter to the Blessed One. |
Ussahanti pana te ānanda dārakā kāke uḍḍepetunti. |
“Ānanda, are these boys able to chase away crows?” |
Ussahanti bhagavāti. |
“They are able, O Blessed One.” |
athakho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi |
Then the Blessed One, having given a Dhamma talk with regard to this cause, to this incident, addressed the monks: |
anujānāmi bhikkhave ūnapaṇṇarasavassaṁ dārakaṁ kākuḍḍepakaṁ pabbājetunti. |
“Monks, I allow that a boy less than 15 years old be given the Going-forth if he is capable of chasing away crows.” |