Arya Mūlasarvāstivādin Sramanera Karika

In Sanskrit: Arya Mūlasarvāstivādi Śrāmaṇerakārikā

In Tibetan (transliterated): Phags-pa gzhi-thams-cad yod-par-smra-baʼi dge-tshul gyi tshig-leʼur byas-pa

In English: Verses for the Novice Monk of the Mūlasarvāstivāda

Foreword

The Śrāmaṇerakārikā or Getsul-kārikā (“Verses for a Novice Monk”) is a short practical manual attributed to Ācārya Nāgārjuna, composed in verse for easy memorisation. It belongs to the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya tradition — the monastic code followed in Tibetan Buddhism — and provides a concise guide to the daily conduct and training of a novice monk (śrāmaṇera, Tib. Getsul).

The text covers the novice’s full day from rising before dawn to falling asleep in the lion’s posture, passing through morning recitations, service to one’s teacher, the preparation and inspection of water, mindful eating, and study. It then sets out the key precepts: the four root downfalls (pārājika) — killing, stealing, sexual conduct, and false claims of attainment — followed by rules on speech, intoxicants, adornment, food timing, the handling of gold and silver, and monastic etiquette.

What makes this text distinctive is its brevity and directness. In just sixty-five verses, Nāgārjuna distils the essentials of monastic training into a form that is both memorable and immediately applicable. It remains a foundational text for novice monks in the Tibetan tradition.

The Tibetan translation was made by the Indian paṇḍita Muni Varma together with the great Tibetan editor-translator Zhang Nanam Yeshé Dé.

Source text: Ācārya Nāgārjuna, with the commentary of Ju Mipham Jamyang Namgyal Gyatso, ʼPhags-pa gzhi-thams-cad yod-par-smra-baʼi dge-tshul gyi tshig-leʼur byas-paʼi rtsa-ʼgrel. First edition 2001; second edition 2004, Namdroling Monastery. Obtained from the Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC): bdr:MW8LS77713.

English translation by Tenpa Bhikshu (Nicolas Pettican), in accordance with the instructions given by Khenpo Dudul Dorje at Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö Institute.

This is the English-only rendering. The full Tibetan–English parallel text is available as a translation page.

The Verses in English

I prostrate to the Omniscient One.

1
To the Omniscient Protector, the Dharma,
And the assembly of Noble Ones, I prostrate.
The practices of the novice monk,
I shall now explain, in brief and definite.

2
With faith in the Shakya Lion’s teaching,
Having gone forth [in ordination],
With steadfast discipline, firmly maintaining,
Guard the trainings as you would your body.

3
Rise from bed in the last portion of the night,
Perform recitations until the break of dawn.
Having washed the dirt from face and teeth,
Reverently prostrate to the Perfect Buddha.

4
Gently knock with your hand
Upon your Guru’s quarters’ door.
Enter respectfully, and of the Guru inquire
About his well-being and more.

5
Having asked, “Shall I do these [tasks]?”
For the purpose of [preparing] shrine offerings and the like,
Inspect the water with an oyster shell and such,
From top, to middle, to bottom, layer by layer.

6
In the absence of an oyster shell and such,
With cupped hands or leaves, fill the vessel.
The large and small creatures in the water,
Diligently examine, without taking long.

7
The compassionate one thoroughly examines liquids,
And only after [examining] should use them.
If living beings are present, strain [the water] well;
Do no harm to any living creature.

8
Grass, cow dung, wood, and the like,
For whatever purpose they may serve,
Make them free of living beings;
Through [your] vow, guard against the taking of lives.

9
Prepare the seat, water, earth, and tooth-stick,
And the materials for washing too.
Wash the alms bowl and the like,
And attend to all the Guru’s needs.

10
Then, knowing the time, having bowed,
With palms joined respectfully likewise,
“Will [you] eat or not eat?” — thus
The vow holder asks of the Guru.

11
Having washed your hands properly,
Then, in silence, knowing the measure,
With the thought, “I shall eat
[Only] to avert the illness of hunger” — eat.

12
Having eaten and drunk suitable water,
Thereafter, to increase generosity’s merit,
Recite two verses of offering —
That the virtue of giving may flourish.

13
If you hold oral instructions, practise meditation.
Exert yourself greatly in study and reading.
Become skilled in the vows and observances,
And persevere diligently in [their] practice.

14
[While] upholding the vow, with an unimpaired mind,
Having deliberately intended, without mistake,
If [one] kills another person, by oneself or through others,
The vow will become broken [and defeated].

15
To those with moral discipline, those with faulty discipline,
Or likewise those afflicted by illness,
Who upon hearing [would become] desperate with suffering —
Do not give a Dharma talk [that leads to] certain death.

16
By medicine, mantras, or occult knowledge,
By sending [someone] towards the direction of death,
Or by various other means — if another person
Is killed, the vow will become broken.

17
If one kills animals, hell beings,
Hungry ghosts, or even gods,
A heavy misdeed [will be incurred],
[Resulting in] falling into the lower realms.

18
If a vow holder, thinking “I shall kill,”
Plans by body and speech,
Even if the person remains alive,
A threefold transgression is incurred.

19
With stones, sticks, fists, and such,
Or with other [means of] harm,
Do not injure cattle and the like;
And do not ride horses and so forth.

20
If a novice, by himself or through others,
With a thieving mind, by force or by stealth,
Without mistake, from another person’s dwelling,
[Takes] five māṣakas’ worth or —

21
Whatever amounts, from one’s own region,
To a quarter kārṣāpaṇa — if stolen,
The moral discipline will be destroyed.
If [it remains only] an attempt, it is a wrongdoing (duṣkṛta).

22
Taproots, herbs, fruit trees,
Stalks, leaves, bark, water,
Water-born and field-grown flowers,
Fields, harvests, and plots of land,

23
Boats, wood, customs’ tax,
Likewise, boat fares,
Legless creatures, two-legged,
And many-legged — [if any of these are] stolen;

24
If a vow holder, with a thieving mind,
Steals a person’s wealth — jewels or whatever it may be —
Whatever is stolen, if the [threshold] value is met,
The vow is destroyed.

25
If your alms bowl and such are carried off by a thief,
By teaching Dharma, one should recover [them].
Or else, buy [them] back at the appropriate price;
If one fails to do so, it is a wrongdoing (duṣkṛta).

26
If a vow holder, with an unimpaired mind,
Through desire, [his] jewel passes inside
Any of three undiseased orifices,
And pleasure is experienced — the vow is broken.

27
If, having been overpowered and forced
By a man, woman, or intersex person,
One experiences the taste of pleasure,
The vow will likewise be destroyed.

28
[Even when] the member has arisen and one desires pleasure,
It is easier to insert [it] into the mouth of a venomous snake.
“Do not destroy the vow with the body!”
So the Perfect Buddha proclaimed.

29
Even if the snake were to kill [you],
Abiding in moral discipline is [still] beneficial.
Damaged moral discipline is [itself] suffering,
And becomes an obscuration even to nirvāṇa.

30
[Claiming,] “I have seen gods,” “I have heard their voices,”
“I have conversed with them,”
“Gods come to where I dwell,”
“And I also go to their presence” —

31
Likewise, [claiming to have seen] gandharvas,
Kumbhāṇḍas, nāgas, yakṣas, and mahoragas,
Rākṣasa [demons], pretas, and kinnaras —
Saying “I have seen [them],” and so forth,

32
[Claiming,] “I have attained” dhyāna,
Superknowledges, the immeasurables,
The fruit of stream-entry and so forth,
Or having truly entered the path — if one says so,

33
If false words, of the nature of [claiming] special attainments,
Are spoken to one who understands their meaning,
With an unimpaired [mind] and without delusion —
The vow will become broken.

34
Aside from [lies about] special attainments,
All other false words besides these
Will [also] become many misdeeds;
By them, one will fall to the lower [realms].

35
Do not speak divisive words
That would cause friends to separate.
Do not speak in gatherings [i.e. gossip],
And do not speak harsh words.

36
When spoken to ill, speak no ill in return;
When scolded, do not scold again.
When your faults are laid bare, do not bare theirs in turn;
When struck, do not strike — [forbear and abstain].

37
The intelligent one who desires the training,
Having applied [himself], should abandon faults of speech.
Knowing that [such consequences] will thus arise,
One should thoroughly restrain one’s speech.

38
Grain liquor, [made from] grain
Combined with yeast — such varieties of drink —
And fabricated liquor, prepared from
The extracts of stalks, flowers, and fruits;

39
Knowing that by these one becomes intoxicated,
A vow holder desiring benefit does not drink.
If one drinks, mindfulness deteriorates,
And the vow holder becomes heedless.

40
From heedlessness, the vow is damaged;
Therefore, recall the Teacher’s words:
“Intoxication causes faults to increase —
Do not drink even [the amount on] the tip of a kuśa blade.”

41
Song, dance, and likewise musical instruments —
One holding vows should not [engage in] these.
Do not anoint the body with perfume,
Nor apply sandalwood and the like.

42
Do not paint [the body] with colours
Of turmeric, saffron, and the like.
Flowers, head ornaments, and garlands —
A vow holder should not wear [these].

43
Do not adorn oneself with ornaments
Of gold and the like.
Kohl and such eye ointments —
Do not apply when the eyes are not ailing.

44
Wooden beds one cubit high,
And seats adorned with ivory and the like,
Even [if] low, [on] fine sleeping beds —
Do not sleep and so forth [upon these].

45
Relying on song, dance, and the like,
Pride will arise [in a person].
Having abandoned the elements of pride,
[One] is said to “abide in the vow.”

46
From the midday point onward,
Until the break of dawn —
This the Victor declared to be the untimely [period];
A vow holder should not eat during that [time].

47
From the break of dawn until midday,
Eating during that occasion —
That is the self-aware [observance of the] vow:
[It means] having eaten at the time for eating.

48
[Even] perceiving the untimely [period] as [a proper] time,
One should never eat [during it].
[However,] if a doctor prescribes [it] for illness,
For the patient, it will not become a fault.

49
[Monetary] gold is [still] gold;
Silver is [still] money.
If sponsors offer these,
A vow holder should not accept [them].

50
“This is not suitable for me;
By this, I shall seek suitable things” —
Having clearly thought thus,
Then have another person receive [it].

51
For the sake of the Three Jewels,
Or for those who practise brahmacarya [pure conduct] —
Even if one touches gold and silver,
It will not become a fault.

52
“[These] create obstructions to [overcoming] desire” —
So the Perfect Buddha declared.
A novice should not speak from delusion, saying,
“[These] do not become obstructions.”

53
If one speaks thus, [one shall be]
Separated from all the Saṅgha’s resources,
And expelled from the monastery;
Thereafter, [one] becomes like a corpse.

54
Having contemplated death, do not engage
In flirtation, horse-laughter, and the like.
When yawning and such, diligently
Cover the mouth with the hand [or similar].

55
When an elder sneezes, say, “I bow”;
To the young, say, “May you be free from illness!”
When a layperson sneezes,
One should say, “May you live long!”

56
In the presence of where the Guru resides,
Do not discard mucus or saliva,
Do not chew a tooth-stick,
And likewise, do not sit on [his] seat.

57
Do not act erratically before [the Guru],
And do not appear with only lower robes.
Towards elder vow holders and the like,
One should act with respect and reverence.

58
Having washed the hands clean,
Make vessels and the like free of dust.
Having also thoroughly strained the water
And examined [it], use [only] what is suitable.

59
Do not dwell in a place not assigned [to you].
On the Saṅgha’s bedding and the like,
Do not sit without mindfulness;
[But] with mindfulness, there is no fault.

60
Brushing teeth, drinking water,
Going to relieve oneself,
And prostrating to the Teacher within the precinct —
These, without asking, are without fault.

61
All other activities, without exception,
Of a vow holder —
If done without having asked the Guru,
It is a wrongdoing (duṣkṛta).

62
Having prostrated to stūpas and the like,
And having practised wakefulness; after that,
The vow holder washes the Guru’s feet
And makes all [his] requests of the Guru.

63
Having washed both feet,
During the first and last portions of the night,
One should exert [oneself] and practise wakefulness;
By this, one lives true to one’s word.

64
With the intent to rise again, envisioning light,
Lie in the lion’s sleeping posture.
With mindfulness and [maintaining] a virtuous continuum,
Likewise, having quickly awakened —

65
Act just as has been taught.
So that the afflictions may be quickly exhausted
And supreme enlightenment attained,
Thus, one should be endowed with diligence.

Thus is complete the verses for the novice monks
Of the Mūlasarvāstivāda, composed by Ācārya Nāgārjuna.
Translated [into Tibetan] and revised
by the Indian paṇḍita Muni Varma and
the chief editor-translator Zhang Nanam Yeshé Dé,
[who] finalised [the text].