old-path-white-clouds-thich-nhat-hanh

He recalled how some years ago, seventeen young people had been accepted into the sangha at Bamboo Forest. The oldest boy, Upali,
was seventeen and the youngest only twelve. They were all from wealthy families. When Upali asked his parents to allow him to become a
bhikkhu and they agreed, sixteen of his friends implored their parents to let them do the same. Once they joined the sangha, they were
expected to follow the life of a bhikkhu, including eating only one meal before noon. The first night, several of the youngest boys cried from
hunger. When the Buddha asked the next morning why he heard children crying in the night, he was told about the boys being accepted into
the community. The Buddha said, “Henceforth, we will accept only young men who are at least twenty years of age into the sangha.
Children cannot be expected to live the life of a homeless monk.”
The boys were allowed to stay, but the Buddha asked that those fifteen years old and younger be given an additional meal in the evening.
All the boys remained bhikkhus. The youngest one, Svasti realized, was already twenty now.