________________
339
I take shelter with the Sangha".
Säriputta initiated Prince Rahula in the manner.prescribed by the Buddha. When Suddhodana came to know of this, he rushed to the Buddha and submitted,
"Bhante ! I seek a boon". Being permitted by the Buddha, Suddho dana said,
"I became immensely unhappy when you were initiated. I became unhappy again when Nanda was initiated. Now I am most unhappy when Rāhula has been initiated.. Bhante ! Affection for my progeny is piercing through my skin; it is piercing through my flesh; and then penetrating through my flesh, it is piercing through my veins; then penetrating through my veins, it is piercing through my bones; and then penetrating through my bones, it has shattered me. Bhante ! The monks should not initiate anyone without the prior permission of the parents."
Thereafter, on the point made by Súddhodana, the Buddha gave a sermon. Suddhodana stood up from his seat, bowed, moved round the Buddha thrice and departed. After he had gone, the Buddha said to the monks,
"Let not the monks initiate anyone without the prior permission of the parents. Anyone violating this commits the sin of having performed a prohibi
ted act". (39). 8. Sākaya Princes and Upáli - Having initiated Prince Rāhula,the Buddha departed from Kapilavastu, and while performing the carikā, he arrived at the mango park outside city of Anūpiyā in Malladesa. At that time, many Sakya youths from noble families were being initiated into the Buddha's order on their own initiative. There were two Sákaya brothers, Mahānāma and Anuruddha by name. Anuruddha was the younger of the two, and he had three sions for his use during fall, summer and rains respectively. He was at that time residing in his monsoon mansion. He never came down. When Mahānāma heard that many Sakya youths were joining the monastic order of the Buddha, he came to his younger brother Anuruddha, narrated the recent initiations and said,
