leaving the world, adopting the ascetic life state of being a Buddhist friar, taking the (yellow) robe ordination

1. ordination or admission into the Buddha’s Order in particular: Vin.iii.13; SN.i.161 etc-sāmanera˚ ordination of a Novice, described in full at Vin.i.82
   ■ pabbajjaṃ yācati to beg admission Vin.iv.129; labhati to gain admission to the Order Vin.i.12, Vin.i.17, Vin.i.32; DN.i.176; SN.iv.181
2. ascetic or homeless life in general DN.iii.147 sq.; MN.iii.33 (abbhokāso p.); SN.v.350 (id.; read pabbajjā); AN.v.204 (id.); SN.ii.128 (read ˚jjā for ˚jā); SN.iv.260; AN.i.151, AN.i.168; AN.iv.274 sq.; Snp.405, Snp.406, Snp.567; Iti.75 (pabbajjāya ceteti) Mil.19 (dhamma-cariya-samacariy’ atthā p.); Dhp-a.i.6; Snp-a.49, Snp-a.327, Snp-a.423; Thag-a.251
   ■ pabbajjaṃ upagata gone into the homeless state Pv-a.167 (for pabbajita) agārasmā anagāriyaṃ p. the going forth from home into the homeless state Vin.ii.253; MN.ii.56; pabbajjaṃ pabbajati to undertake or go into the ascetic life, in foll. varieties: isi˚ of a Saint or Sage Ja.i.298, Ja.i.303; Dhp-a.iv.55; Pv-a.162 (of the Buddha); tāpasa˚ of a Hermit Ja.iii.119; DN-a.i.270 (described in detail); Dhp-a.iv.29; Pv-a.21; samaṇa˚ of a Wanderer Pv-a.76.

Note. The ceremony of admission to the priesthood is called pabbajjā (or pabbajana), if viewed as the act of the candidate of orders, and pabbājana (q.v.) if viewed as the act of the priest conferring orders; the latter term however does not occur in this meaning in the Canon.

fr. pa + vraj, cp. pabbajati, Epic & BSk. pravrajyā