1. The news of the conversion of Yasa and his four friends to the Dhamma spread far and wide. The result was that lay persons belonging to the highest families in the country and to those next to the highest came to be instructed in the doctrine of the Blessed One and to take refuge in Him and in His Dhamma.
2. Many people were coming to Him to receive instruction in the Dhamma. The Lord knew that it was difficult for Him personally to give instruction to each one. He also felt the necessity of organising Parivrajakas whose number was swelling every day into a religious order which He called the Sangh.
3. He accordingly made the Parivrajakas the members of the Sangh and framed rules of discipline called vinaya and made them binding upon the members of the Sangh.
4. The Blessed Lord later on laid down two stages to be undergone by a disciple before he became a Bhikkhu. First a disciple became a Parivrajaka and remained a Parivrajaka for a certain number of years attached to a Bhikkhu and remaining in training under him. After his training period was over he was allowed to take Upasampada if he satisfied a body of examiners that he was fit for it. It is only then that he was allowed to become a Bhikkhu and a member of the Sangh.
5. There was no time in the early stages of the Dhamma to make such arrangements. The Lord, therefore, made them Bhikkhus and sent them out as Missionaries to spread His religion to anywhere and everywhere.
6. And before sending them out the Blessed One said to the Bhikkhus: " I am delivered, 0 Bhikkhus, from all fetters, human and divine. You, 0 Bhikkhus, from all fetters, human and divine. Go ye now, and wander for the gain of the many, for the welfare of the many, out of compassion for the world; for the good, for the gain and for the welfare of gods and men.
7. " Let not two of you go the same way. Preach, Bhikkhus, the doctrine which is glorious in the beginning, glorious in the middle, "glorious at the end, in the spirit and in the letter; proclaim a consummate, perfect and pure life of holiness.
8." Go then through every country, convert those not yet converted; throughout the world that lies burnt up with sorrow, teach everywhere; (instruct) those lacking' right instruction;
9. " Go where there are great Rishis, royal Rishis, Brahman Rishis too, these all dwell there, influencing men according to their schools;
10. " Go, therefore, each one travelling by himself; filled with compassion, go! rescue and receive."
11. The Blessed Lord also told them:
12. " That the gift of the Dhamma exceeds all gifts; the sweetness of the Dhamma exceeds all sweetness; the delight in the Dhamma exceeds all delights;
13. "The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by passion: therefore a gift of Dhamma brings great reward.
14. "The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by hatred: therefore a gift of Dhamma brings great reward.
15. "The fields are damaged by weeds; mankind is damaged by vanity: therefore the gift of Dhamma brings great reward.
16. "The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by lust: therefore a gift of Dhamma brings great reward."
17. Then the sixty Bhikkhus receiving orders to carry on the mission to propagate the Dhamma went through every land. 18. The Lord gave them further instruction in the matter of conversions.
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