73. Tatiyakumāribhūtasikkhāpada
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhaṁ saṅghena asammataṁ vuṭṭhāpenti. Bhikkhuniyo evamāhaṁsu— “etha, sikkhamānā, imaṁ jānātha, imaṁ detha, imaṁ āharatha, iminā attho, imaṁ kappiyaṁ karothā”ti. Tā evamāhaṁsu— “na mayaṁ, ayye, sikkhamānā, bhikkhuniyo mayan”ti. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhaṁ saṅghena asammataṁ vuṭṭhāpessantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhaṁ saṅghena asammataṁ vuṭṭhāpentī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhaṁ saṅghena asammataṁ vuṭṭhāpessanti. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… vigarahitvā …pe… dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi— “anujānāmi, bhikkhave, paripuṇṇavīsativassāya kumāribhūtāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhāya vuṭṭhānasammutiṁ dātuṁ. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, dātabbā. Tāya paripuṇṇavīsativassāya kumāribhūtāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhāya saṅghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā bhikkhunīnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo— ‘ahaṁ, ayye, itthannāmā itthannāmāya ayyāya paripuṇṇavīsativassā kumāribhūtā dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhā saṅghaṁ vuṭṭhānasammutiṁ yācāmī’ti. Dutiyampi yācitabbā. Tatiyampi yācitabbā. Byattāya bhikkhuniyā paṭibalāya saṅgho ñāpetabbo— ‘Suṇātu me, ayye, saṅgho. Ayaṁ itthannāmā itthannāmāya ayyāya paripuṇṇavīsativassā kumāribhūtā dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhā saṅghaṁ vuṭṭhānasammutiṁ yācati. Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ saṅgho itthannāmāya paripuṇṇavīsativassāya kumāribhūtāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhāya vuṭṭhānasammutiṁ dadeyya. Esā ñatti. Suṇātu me, ayye, saṅgho. Ayaṁ itthannāmā itthannāmāya ayyāya paripuṇṇavīsativassā kumāribhūtā dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhā saṅghaṁ vuṭṭhānasammutiṁ yācati. Saṅgho itthannāmāya paripuṇṇavīsativassāya kumāribhūtāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhāya vuṭṭhānasammutiṁ deti. Yassā ayyāya khamati itthannāmāya paripuṇṇavīsativassāya kumāribhūtāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhāya vuṭṭhānasammutiyā dānaṁ, sā tuṇhassa; yassā nakkhamati, sā bhāseyya. Dinnā saṅghena itthannāmāya paripuṇṇavīsativassāya kumāribhūtāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhāya vuṭṭhānasammuti. Khamati saṅghassa, tasmā tuṇhī, evametaṁ dhārayāmī’”ti. Atha kho bhagavā tā bhikkhuniyo anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā dubbharatāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
Ordaining a trained unmarried woman without approval Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time the nuns were giving the full admission to unmarried women who were more than twenty years old and who had trained for two years in the six rules, but who had not been approved by the Sangha. The nuns said, “Come, trainee nuns, find out about this,” “Give this,” “Bring this,” “There’s need for this,” or “Make this allowable.” But they replied, “Venerables, we’re not trainee nuns. We’re nuns.” The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can nuns give the full admission to unmarried women who are more than twenty years old and who have trained for two years in the six rules, but who haven’t been approved by the Sangha?” … “Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “How can nuns do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” After rebuking them … he gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Monks, approval is required for the full admission of an unmarried woman who is more than twenty years old and who has trained for two years in the six rules. And it should be given like this. After approaching the Sangha of nuns, that unmarried woman who is more than twenty years old should arrange her upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the nuns. She should then squat on her heels, raise her joined palms, and say: ‘Venerables, I, the unmarried woman so-and-so, who is more than twenty years old and who has trained for two years in the six rules under venerable so-and-so, ask the Sangha for approval to be fully admitted.’ And she should ask a second and a third time. A competent and capable nun should then inform the Sangha: ‘Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. The unmarried woman so-and-so, who is more than twenty years old and who has trained for two years in the six rules under venerable so-and-so, is asking the Sangha for approval to be fully admitted. If the Sangha is ready, it should give approval for the unmarried woman so-and-so, who is more than twenty years old and who has trained for two years in the six rules under venerable so-and-so, to be fully admitted. This is the motion. Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. The unmarried woman so-and-so, who is more than twenty years old and who has trained for two years in the six rules under venerable so-and-so, is asking the Sangha for approval to be fully admitted. The Sangha gives approval for the unmarried woman so-and-so, who is more than twenty years old and who has trained for two years in the six rules under venerable so-and-so, to be fully admitted. Any nun who approves of giving approval for the unmarried woman so-and-so, who is more than twenty years old and who has trained for two years in the six rules under venerable so-and-so, to be fully admitted should remain silent. Any nun who doesn’t approve should speak up. The Sangha has given approval for the unmarried woman so-and-so, who is more than twenty years old and who has trained for two years in the six rules under venerable so-and-so, to be fully admitted. The Sangha approves and is therefore silent. I will remember it thus.’” Then, after rebuking those nuns in many ways, the Buddha spoke in dispraise of being difficult to support … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: