SBE 20: Tenth Khandhaka: Chapter 1

TENTH KHANDHAKA.

ON THE DUTIES OF BHIKKHUNÎS.

1.

1. Now at that time the Blessed Buddha was staying among the Sâkyas in Kapilavatthu, in the Nigrodhârâma. And Mahâ-pagâpatî the Gotamî went to the place where the Blessed One was, and on arriving there, bowed down before the Blessed One, and remained standing on one side. And so standing she spake thus to the Blessed One:

'It would be well, Lord, if women should be allowed to renounce their homes and enter the homeless state under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathâgata.'

'Enough, O Gotamî! Let it not please thee that women should be allowed to do so.'

[And a second and a third time did Mahâ-pagâpatî the Gotamî make the same request in the same words, and receive the same reply.]

Then Mahâ-pagâpatî the Gotamî sad and sorrowful for that the Blessed One would not permit women to enter the homeless state, bowed down before the Blessed One, and keeping him on her right hand as she passed him, departed thence weeping and in tears.

2. Now when the Blessed One had remained at Kapilavatthu as long as he thought fit, he set out on his journey towards Vesâlî; and travelling

1.'

4. 'If then, Ânanda, Mahâ-pagâpatî the Gotamî take upon herself the Eight Chief Rules 2 let that be reckoned to her as her initiation.'

 3[They are these]: (1) 'A Bhikkhunî, even if of

1 in which there is no Bhikkhu. This is a rule . . . . never to be transgressed.

(3) 'Every half month a Bhikkhunî is to await from the Bhikkhu-samgha two things, the asking as to (the date of) the Uposatha ceremony 2, and the (time when the Bhikkhu) will come to give the Exhortation 3. This is a rule . . . . never to be transgressed.

(4) 'After keeping the rainy season (of Was), the Bhikkhunî is to hold Pavâranâ (to enquire whether any fault can be laid to her charge) before both Samghas--as well that of Bhikkhus as that of Bhikkhunîs--with respect to three matters, namely, what has been seen, and what has been heard, and what has been suspected 4. This is a rule . . . . never to be transgressed.

1, she is to ask leave for the upasampadâ initiation from both Samghas (as well that of Bhikkhus as that of Bhikkhunîs 2). This is a rule . . . . never to be transgressed.

(7) 'A Bhikkhunî is on no pretext to revile or abuse a Bhikkhu 3. This is a rule . . . . never to be transgressed.

(8) 'From henceforth official admonition 4 by Bhikkhunîs of Bhikkhus is forbidden, whereas the official admonition of Bhikkhunîs by Bhikkhus is not forbidden. This is a rule . . . . never to be transgressed.

'If, Ânanda, Mahâ-pagâpatî the Gotamî take upon herself these Eight Chief Rules, let that be reckoned to her as her initiation.'

5. Then the venerable Ânanda, when he had learnt from the Blessed One these Eight Chief Rules, went to Mahâ-pagâpatî the Gotamî and [told her all that the Blessed One had said].

1 and but few men are easily violated 2 by robber burglars 3; just so, Ânanda, under

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Here end the Eight Chief Rules for the Bhikkhunîs.

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Footnotes

322:1 Ânandâ s conduct in this matter was afterwards charged against him as a dukkata. See below, XI, 1, lo.

322:2 The Attha Garudhammâ, on which see further our note above on the 21st Pâkittiya, and below, X, g.

322:3 The whole of the following eight paragraphs recur in the 323:1 Âvâsa. Compare Kullavagga I, 18, 1, VI, 15, I, VIII, x, 2. This rule is the 56th Bhikkhunî Pâkittiya.

323:2 The Bhikkhunîs are to ask two or three days beforehand whether the Uposatha is to be held on the 14th or 15th day of the month; says Buddhaghosa here. Compare also the 59th Bhikkhunî Pâkittiya, where the whole passage recurs.

323:3 Compare the 21st Pâkittiya, and our note there.

323:4 See Mahâvagga IV, 1, 13, 14. This rule is the same as the 57th Bhikkhunî Pâkittiya. The mode of carrying out this rule is explained in detail below, X, 19.

324:1 Khasu dhammesu. The Six Rules for novices. They are referred to in the Bhikkhunî Vibhaṅga, under Pâkittiyas LXIII-LXVII.

324:2 The actual ordination (upasampadâ) itself is not complete till it has been conferred by Bhikkhus (see the rule at X, 2, 2). The whole proceeding is fully set out below, X, 27. Compare also the 63rd and 64th Bhikkhunî Pâkittiyas.

324:3 This is the 52nd Bhikkhunî Pâkittiya.

324:4 Vakana-patho. That is, literally, speech. But the reference is, no doubt, to the various kinds of official admonitions given in detail in chapter 20 below.

325:1 Bahutthikâni. The context shows that we are to understand itthi and not attha. Compare Rockhill's 'Life of the Buddha,' p.61.

325:2 Suppadhamsiyâni. Compare Bhikkhunî Vibhaṅga, Samghâdisesa III, 1, 2, and see also Kullavagga VII, 5, 4.

325:3 Korehi kumbatthenakehi; on which Buddhaghosa has the following note:--Kumbathenakehiti kumbhe dîpam gâletvâ ena âlokena paraghare bhandam vikinitvâ thenakakorehi.