65. Gihigatasikkhāpada
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo ūnadvādasavassaṁ gihigataṁ vuṭṭhāpenti. Tā akkhamā honti sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ. Uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ anadhivāsakajātikā honti. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo ūnadvādasavassaṁ gihigataṁ vuṭṭhāpessantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo ūnadvādasavassaṁ gihigataṁ vuṭṭhāpentī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo ūnadvādasavassaṁ gihigataṁ vuṭṭhāpessanti. Ūnadvādasavassā, bhikkhave, gihigatā akkhamā hoti sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ. Uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ anadhivāsakajātikā hoti. Dvādasavassāva kho, bhikkhave, gihigatā khamā hoti sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ. Uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātikā hoti. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
Ordaining a married girl under twelve Origin story
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, the nuns were giving the full admission to married girls less than twelve years old. They were unable to endure cold and heat; hunger and thirst; contact with horseflies, mosquitoes, wind, the burning sun, and creeping animals and insects; rude and unwelcome speech; and they were unable to bear up with bodily feelings that are painful, severe, sharp, and destructive of life. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can nuns give the full admission to married girls less than twelve years old?” … “Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “How can nuns do this? A married girl less than twelve years old is unable to endure cold and heat; hunger and thirst; contact with horseflies, mosquitoes, wind, the burning sun, and creeping animals and insects; rude and unwelcome speech; and she’s unable to bear up with bodily feelings that are painful, severe, sharp, and destructive of life. But a married girl who is twelve years old is able to endure these things. This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: