Child Ordination: Positive Aspect

By Kapila Abhayawansa -January 30, 2014 |

Prof Kapila Abhayawansa

Every phenomenon in the world can be looked at both positively and negatively. Child ordination too has no exception. Sharmini Serasinghe looking at the child ordination through a mother’s eye has seen completely the negative aspect of it, as she expressed in her letter appeared in the Colombo Telegraph. We cannot condemn her ideas for she presented them through an emotionally constituted state of mind. Emotion is not a trustworthy means to arrive at a truth involved in something. Emotions lead to the prejudices. Truth should be found out by means of impartiality. I am not going to deny the negative aspect of the issue of child ordination as revealed by Sharmini.  What I am trying to say is that we must examine both the aspects, compare them and decide whether it is good or bad.

Buddha was always concerned with the esteem in which the public held his monastic organization. Such a consideration was vital for its existence and prosperity. In this respect, monk should be endowed with not only Buddhist religious values and qualities but also with the moral manners.

Child ordination in Sri Lanka is not a Mahawamsa- based Buddhist practice. It is reported that a seven years old Sāmanera known as Ngrodha was responsible for the King Asoka’s conversion to Buddhism. It is coming through the history of the Buddha-sāsana starting from the time of the Buddha. One of the stories related to Ven. Sariputta says that advice given by a seven year old Samanera respectfully accepted by Ven Sariputta. There is the rule in vinaya-pitaka which enable monks to ordain even a child. Therefore there is no objection from Buddhist Vinaya for child ordination. For the same reason it is in practice in all Buddhist traditions. In every country where Buddhism became the traditional practice child ordination has been a common occurrence.

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