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THE BHIKKHU-THE BUDDHA’S CONCEPTION OF HIM
§ 1. Buddha’s Conception of What a Bhikkhu Should Be
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The Buddha has himself told the Bhikkhus what he expected of them as Bhikkhus. This is what he has said.
“He who wishes to put on the yellow dress without having cleansed himself from sin, who disregards also temperance and truth, is unworthy of the yellow dress.
“But he who has cleansed himself from sin, is well grounded in all virtues, and endowed also with temperance and truth, he is indeed worthy of the yellow dress.
“A man is not a mendicant (Bhikkhu) simply because he asks others for alms; he who adopts the whole law is a Bhikkhu, not he who only begs.
“He who is above evil, who is chaste, who with care passes through the world, he indeed is called a Bhikkhu.
“Not only by discipline and vows, not only by much learning, not by entering into a trance not by sleeping alone, do I earn the happiness of release which no worldling can know. O Bhikkhu, he who has obtained the extinction of desires, has obtained confidence.
“The Bhikkhu who controls his mouth, who speaks wisely and calmly, who teaches the meaning of the law, his word is sweet.
“He who dwells in the law, delights in the law, meditates on the law, recollects the law, that Bhikkhu will never fall away from the true law.
“Let him not despise what he has received, nor ever envy others; a mendicant who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.
“A Bhikkhu who, though he receives little, does not despise what he has received, even the gods will praise him, if his life is pure, and if he is not slothful.
“He who never identifies himself with name
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