Verified
Overview
During the higher ordination (upasampadā) procedure, the candidate is formally questioned in the midst of the assembly (saṅgha) regarding the obstructive conditions (antarāyikā dhammā) set forth in the Mahāvagga. The kammavācācāriya instructs the candidate to answer truthfully, stating “Santi” (They exist / Yes) or “Natthi” (They do not exist / No) to the first five questions concerning health, and “Āma” (Yes) or “Na” (No) to the remaining structural, civil, and personal queries.
The 13 Questions
- Kutthaṃ? – Do you suffer from leprosy?
- Gaṇḍo? – Do you have boils?
- Kilāso? – Do you have eczema?
- Soso? – Do you have consumption (tuberculosis)?
- Apamāro? – Do you have epilepsy?
- Manussosi? – Are you a human being?
- Purisosi? – Are you a man?
- Bhujissosi? – Are you a free man (not bound by slavery)?
- Anaṇosi? – Are you free from debt?
- Nasi rājabhaṭo? – Are you exempt from government or military service?
- Anuññātosi mātāpitūhi? – Have you received permission from your parents?
- Paripuṇṇavīsativassosi? – Have you reached the full qualifying age of twenty years?
- Paripuṇṇaṃ te pattacīvaraṃ? – Are you equipped with a complete set of bowl and robes?
Textual References
- Canonical: Mahāvagga (Vinaya Piṭaka, Upasampadākhandhaka) – The section detailing the formal interrogation procedure conducted by the kammavācācāriya inside the sīmā page 131.