Dear Piya

In Vinaya Mahavagga, the PTS version makes no difference between
person(s) who attained arhat and who not yet attain. The formula
runs "ehi bhikkhuuti bhagavaa avoca / svaakkhaato dhammo cara
brahmacariya.m sammaa dukkhassa antakiriyaayaati". In case of plural,
it has "etha bhikkhavo" in place of "ehi bhikkhu" and "caratha" for "cara".

In Thai version, there are 2 formulas: one for person(s) who already
attained arhat and, another for whom not yet attained.

1. The long formula for person(s) whom not yet attain arhat is the same
as PTS version.

2. The short formala, for one already attained arhat, is "ehi bhikkhu"
and ""svaakkhaato dhammo cara brahmacariya.m" without "sammaa
dukkhassa antakiriyaayaati". This is seen in case of Yasa.

However, there is a footnote saying "imasmi.m .thaane katthaci sammaa
dukkhassa antakiriyaayaati pakkhitta.m / tampana yasmaa
tenaayasmataa dukkhassanto kato ahosi natthi tassa uttari.m
kara.niiya.m tasmaa atirekanti da.t.thabba.m". Roughly translated "Here,
in some editions, the phrase 'sammaa dukkhassa antakiriyaaya' is
added. This should be seen as excess, as there is no further course for
him, for he has already made the end of suffering."

Note that in suniita thera's ordination, as shown in Theragaathaa, only
the phrase "ehi bhikkhu" is mentioned and nothing else. Perhaps this is
an abbreviated statement due to the restriction of verse form.

Best wishes,
Chanida

--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, Piya Tan <libris@...> wrote:
>
> Pali friends,
>
> I wonder if anyone has any information regarding the ehibhikkhu
upasampadaa
> here:
>
> According to the Vinaya Mahaavagga account (V 1:17 f), Yasa, on
hearing the
> Buddha admonishing his father (Yasapitaa), "was freed from the
mental
> cankers" (Mahaavagga 7.11/V 1:17), ie he became an arhat. The
formula for
> his ordination runs thus:
>
> (A) "Come O monk! Well-taught is the Dharma. Live the holy life for
the
> utter ending of suffering!" (Mhv 7.14).
>
> This is also the same formula for the ordination of his 4 friends (Mhv
> 9.4/V 1:19) and of his 50 friends (Mhv 10.4), all of whom only
become
> arhats later after the Buddha's admonitions.
>
> The phrase "Live the holy life for the utter ending of suffering" seems
to
> imply that there is more to be done for awakening. Shouldn't the
formula
> for Yasa's ordination simply be
>
> (B) "Ehi Bhikkhu" (Come O monk!), or
> (C) "Come O monk! Well taught is the Dharma."
>
> However, in the case of Angulimala (M 86.6/2:100 = Tha 870), he
was
> admitted with simply "Ehi bhikkhu" and only the Commentary gives the
full
> formula (A) (MA 3:334).
>
> Perhaps formula (A) is the blanket formula for all eh-bhikkhu
ordinations.
>
> Has anyone any thoughts on this?
>
> Sukhi hontu
>
>
> Piya Tan
> Lecturer & Instructor
> Brahm Education Centre
> Singapore
> website: www.brahmec.com
>