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Vinaya Piṭaka - Monastic Rules

Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga

Pācittiya 75: A Bhikkhunī must Have Twelve Years Seniority and the Authorisation of the Community Before She Can Give Upasampada.

Origin story

1At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time nuns who had twelve years of seniority were giving the full admission without being approved by the Sangha. They were ignorant and incompetent, and they did not know what was allowable and what was not. And their students too were ignorant and incompetent, and they too did not know what was allowable and what was not.

2The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can nuns who have twelve years of seniority give the full admission without being 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 a nun who has twelve years of seniority to give the full admission.


And the approval is to be given like this. After approaching the Sangha of nuns, that nun who has twelve years of seniority should arrange her upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the senior nuns. She should then squat on her heels, raise her joined palms, and say,

‘Venerables, I, the nun so-and-so who has twelve years of seniority, ask the Sangha for approval to give the full admission.’

And she should ask a second and a third time.

The Sangha should then decide whether that nun is competent and has a sense of conscience.

If she is ignorant and shameless, approval should not be given.

If she is ignorant but has a sense of conscience, approval should not be given.

If she is competent but shameless, approval should not be given.

If she is competent and has a sense of conscience, approval should be given.

And it is to be given like this. A competent and capable nun should inform the Sangha:

3‘Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. The nun so-and-so, who has twelve years of seniority, is asking the Sangha for approval to give the full admission. If it seems appropriate to the Sangha, the Sangha should give approval to nun so-and-so, who has twelve years of seniority, to give the full admission. This is the motion.

4Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. The nun so-and-so, who has twelve years of seniority, is asking the Sangha for approval to give the full admission. The Sangha gives approval to nun so-and-so, who has twelve years of seniority, to give the full admission. Any nun who approves of giving approval to nun so-and-so, who has twelve years of seniority, to give the full admission should remain silent. Any nun who doesn’t approve should speak up.

5The Sangha has given approval to nun so-and-so, who has twelve years of seniority, to give the full admission. The Sangha approves and is therefore silent. I’ll remember it thus.’”

6Then, 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:

Final ruling

7‘If a nun who has twelve years of seniority gives the full admission without approval from the Sangha, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

8A: whoever … Nun: … The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case.

9Who has twelve years of seniority: who has reached twelve years of seniority.

10Without approval: approval to give the full admission has not been given though a legal procedure consisting of one motion and one announcement. Gives the full admission: gives the full ordination.

11If, intending to give the full admission, she searches for a group, a teacher, a bowl, or a robe, or she establishes a monastery zone, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. After the motion, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. After each of the first two announcements, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. When the last announcement is finished, the preceptor commits an offense entailing confession, and the group and the teacher commit an offense of wrong conduct.

Permutations

12If it is a legitimate legal procedure, and she perceives it as such, and she gives the full admission, she commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but she is unsure of it, and she gives the full admission, she commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but she perceives it as illegitimate, and she gives the full admission, she commits an offense entailing confession.

13If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but she perceives it as legitimate, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, and she perceives it as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

14There is no offense: if she has twelve years of seniority, has been approved by the Sangha, and then gives the full admission; if she is insane; if she is the first offender.

The fifth training rule is finished.

 

1p_2V_3339, msdiv1140Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇadvādasavassā saṁghena asammatā vuṭṭhāpenti. Tā bālā honti abyattā; na jānanti kappiyaṁ vā akappiyaṁ vā. Saddhivihāriniyopi bālā honti abyattā; na jānanti kappiyaṁ vā akappiyaṁ vā.

2p_2V_3340Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā … pe … tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti: “Kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇadvādasavassā saṁghena asammatā vuṭṭhāpessantī”ti … pe … “Saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇadvādasavassā saṁghena asammatā vuṭṭhāpentī”ti?


“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā … pe … kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇadvādasavassā saṁghena asammatā vuṭṭhāpessanti. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya … pe … vigarahitvā … pe … dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, paripuṇṇadvādasavassāya bhikkhuniyā vuṭṭhāpanasammutiṁ dātuṁ.


Evañca pana, bhikkhave, dātabbā. Tāya paripuṇṇadvādasavassāya bhikkhuniyā saṁghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā vuḍḍhānaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo:

‘Ahaṁ, ayye, itthannāmā paripuṇṇadvādasavassā bhikkhunī saṁghaṁ vuṭṭhāpanasammutiṁ yācāmī’ti.

Dutiyampi yācitabbā. Tatiyampi yācitabbā.

Sā bhikkhunī saṁghena paricchinditabbā—‘byattāyaṁ bhikkhunī lajjinī’ti.

Sace bālā ca hoti alajjinī ca, na dātabbā. Sace bālā hoti lajjinī, na dātabbā.

Sace byattā hoti alajjinī, na dātabbā.

Sace byattā ca hoti lajjinī ca, dātabbā.

Evañca pana, bhikkhave, dātabbā. Byattāya bhikkhuniyā paṭibalāya saṁgho ñāpetabbo—

3p_2V_3341, msdiv1141‘Suṇātu me, ayye, saṁgho. Ayaṁ itthannāmā paripuṇṇadvādasavassā bhikkhunī saṁghaṁ vuṭṭhāpanasammutiṁ yācati. Yadi saṁghassa pattakallaṁ, saṁgho itthannāmāya paripuṇṇadvādasavassāya bhikkhuniyā vuṭṭhāpanasammutiṁ dadeyya. Esā ñatti.

4p_2V_3342Suṇātu me, ayye, saṁgho. Ayaṁ itthannāmā paripuṇṇadvādasavassā bhikkhunī saṁghaṁ vuṭṭhāpanasammutiṁ yācati. Saṁgho itthannāmāya paripuṇṇadvādasavassāya bhikkhuniyā vuṭṭhāpanasammutiṁ deti. Yassā ayyāya khamati itthannāmāya paripuṇṇadvādasavassāya bhikkhuniyā vuṭṭhāpanasammutiyā dānaṁ, sā tuṇhassa; yassā nakkhamati, sā bhāseyya.

5p_2V_3343Dinnā saṁghena itthannāmāya paripuṇṇadvādasavassāya bhikkhuniyā vuṭṭhāpanasammuti. Khamati saṁghassa, tasmā tuṇhī, evametaṁ dhārayāmī’”ti.

6p_2V_3344Atha kho bhagavā tā bhikkhuniyo anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā dubbharatāya … pe … evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

 

7p_2V_3345, msdiv1142“Yā pana bhikkhunī paripuṇṇadvādasavassā saṁghena asammatā vuṭṭhāpeyya, pācittiyan”ti.

 

8p_2V_3346, msdiv1143Yā panā'ti yā yādisā … pe … bhikkhunī'ti … pe … ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti.

9p_2V_3347Paripuṇṇadvādasavassā nāma pattadvādasavassā.

10p_2V_3348Asammatā nāma ñattidutiyena kammena vuṭṭhāpanasammuti na dinnā hoti. Vuṭṭhāpeyyā'ti upasampādeyya.

11p_2V_3349“Vuṭṭhāpessāmī”ti gaṇaṁ vā ācariniṁ vā pattaṁ vā cīvaraṁ vā pariyesati, sīmaṁ vā sammannati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Ñattiyā dukkaṭaṁ. Dvīhi kammavācāhi dukkaṭā. Kammavācāpariyosāne upajjhāyāya āpatti pācittiyassa. Gaṇassa ca ācariniyā ca āpatti dukkaṭassa.

 

12p_2V_3350, msdiv1144Dhammakamme dhammakammasaññā vuṭṭhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Dhammakamme vematikā vuṭṭhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Dhammakamme adhammakammasaññā vuṭṭhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

13p_2V_3351Adhammakamme dhammakammasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Adhammakamme vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Adhammakamme adhammakammasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

 

14p_2V_3352, msdiv1145Anāpatti—paripuṇṇadvādasavassā saṁghena sammatā vuṭṭhāpeti, ummattikāya, ādikammikāyāti.

p_2V_3353Pañcamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.