[102] Now at that time the border region of King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha was in turmoil. Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha commanded the chief ministers in charge of the army: "Go, sirs, and clear out the border region." "Yes, sire," the chief ministers in charge of the army replied to King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha.
Then it occurred to a number of distinguished soldiers: "We who delight in battle, going forth to war, do evil deeds and generate much demerit. By what means might we refrain from evil and do what is good?" Then it occurred to those soldiers: "These ascetics, sons of the Sakyan, are practicers of Dhamma, practicers of what is peaceful, livers of the holy life, speakers of truth, virtuous, of good character. If we were to go forth among the ascetics, sons of the Sakyan, thus we would refrain from evil and do what is good." Then those soldiers approached the bhikkhus and asked for the going forth (pabbajjā). The bhikkhus gave them the going forth and the full ordination (upasampadā).
The chief ministers in charge of the army asked the men in the king's service: "Now, sirs, why are the soldiers so-and-so and so-and-so not to be seen?" "Master, the soldiers so-and-so and so-and-so have gone forth among the bhikkhus." The chief ministers in charge of the army were annoyed, criticized, and spread it about: "How can the ascetics, sons of the Sakyan, give the going forth to one in the king's service (rājabhaṭa)?" The chief ministers in charge of the army reported this matter to King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha.
Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha asked the chief ministers of justice: "Sirs, one who gives the going forth to one in the king's service — what penalty does he incur?" "Sire, the preceptor's head should be cut off; of the one who recites the proclamation (anussāvaka), the tongue should be torn out; of the group, half the ribs should be broken."
Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down at one side. Sitting at one side, King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, there are kings without faith and without confidence; they might harass bhikkhus even over a trifling matter. It would be well, venerable sir, if the noble ones did not give the going forth to one in the king's service."
Then the Blessed One instructed, roused, inspired, and gladdened King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha with a talk on the Dhamma. Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, having been instructed, roused, inspired, and gladdened by the Blessed One with a talk on the Dhamma, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping his right side toward him, and departed.
Then the Blessed One, on that ground, on that occasion, having given a talk on the Dhamma, addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, one in the king's service should not be given the going forth. Whoever should give it: an offense of wrong-doing (dukkaṭa)."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.