"Are you over twenty years of age?" "I am." "Have you the requisite utensils and garments?" "I have." "Then come forward." The candidate goes forward on hands and knees, and with palm-joined hands salutes the president three times, saying, "O father benefactor, I pray to be admitted to the sacred dignity of the priesthood. Take pity on me and raise me from the lowly condition of the laity to the perfect condition of the priesthood." The presiding priest next asks the monks of the chapter whether any of them know any just or lawful reason why the candidate should not have his request granted. If none of them state any objection, the president signifies his willingness to admit the candidate to full ordination. The name, age, and address of the applicant are now written down in the records of the monastery, after which he goes to one side of the temple to be robed. He takes off the clothes he has been wearing and puts on his new garments in full view of the whole congregation. This is not at all an easy matter, and he is always assisted by some friend who has previously gone through the same ordeal. If the friend gets the robes entangled, as he frequently does, the congregation laughs immoderately at the uncomfortable dilemma in which the candidate is placed. The difficulty is solved by some kindly-disposed priest, who leaves his place and comes to assist in the robing. With fan in hand and the alms-bowl slung over the shoulder, the wearer of the yellow robe kneels once more before the superior, saying:-- "I go for refuge to the Buddha." "I go for refuge to the Law." "I go for refuge to the Order." He follows this by taking ten vows:-- 1 "I take the vow not to destroy life." 2 "I take the vow not to steal." 3 "I take the vow to abstain from impurity." 4 "I take the vow not to lie." 5 "I take the vow to abstain from intoxicating drinks, which hinder progress and virtue." 6 "I take the vow not to eat at forbidden times." 7 "I take the vow to abstain from dancing, singing, music, and stage-plays." 8 "I take the vow not to use garlands, scents, unguents, or ornaments." 9 "I take the vow not to use a broad or high bed." 10 "I take the vow not to receive gold or silver." Then the president says to him, "You are now received into the brotherhood. I will therefore instruct you what duties you are to perform and what sins you are to avoid. You will daily collect alms and will never put off your yellow robes. You must dwell continually in a monastery and never with the laity, and you must forsake all carnal pleasures," and so on.