- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Nuns’ Analysis Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
- The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on unmarried girls Kumāribhūtavagga
The second training rule on unmarried girls 72. Dutiyakumāribhūtasikkhāpada
Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At that time the nuns were giving the full admission to unmarried girls who were more than twenty years old, but who had not trained for two years in the six rules. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ vuṭṭhāpenti. They were ignorant and incompetent, Tā bālā honti abyattā; and they did not know what was allowable and what was not. na jānanti kappiyaṁ vā akappiyaṁ vā.
The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can nuns give the full admission to unmarried girls who are more than twenty years old, but who haven’t trained for two years in the six rules?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ vuṭṭhāpessantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ vuṭṭhāpentī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How can nuns do this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ vuṭṭhāpessanti. This will affect people’s confidence …” Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… After rebuking them … vigarahitvā …pe… he gave a teaching and addressed the monks: dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—
“Monks, approval is required for an unmarried girl who is eighteen years old to train in the six rules for two years. “anujānāmi, bhikkhave, aṭṭhārasavassāya kumāribhūtāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ dātuṁ.
And the approval is to be given like this. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, dātabbā.
After approaching the Sangha of nuns, that unmarried girl who is eighteen 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: Tāya aṭṭhārasavassāya kumāribhūtāya saṅghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā bhikkhunīnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo—
‘Venerables, I, so-and-so, an unmarried girl who is eighteen years old, am training under Venerable so-and-so. I ask the Sangha for approval to train for two years in the six rules.’ ‘ahaṁ, ayye, itthannāmā itthannāmāya ayyāya aṭṭhārasavassā kumāribhūtā saṅghaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ yācāmī’ti.
And she should ask a second Dutiyampi yācitabbā. and a third time. Tatiyampi yācitabbā.
A competent and capable nun should then inform the Sangha: Byattāya bhikkhuniyā paṭibalāya saṅgho ñāpetabbo—
‘Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. ‘Suṇātu me, ayye, saṅgho. This unmarried girl so-and-so, who is eighteen years old and training under Venerable so-and-so, is asking the Sangha for approval to train in the six rules for two years. Ayaṁ itthannāmā itthannāmāya ayyāya aṭṭhārasavassā kumāribhūtā saṅghaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ yācati. If the Sangha is ready, it should give approval to the unmarried girl so-and-so who is eighteen years old to train in the six rules for two years. Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ, saṅgho itthannāmāya aṭṭhārasavassāya kumāribhūtāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ dadeyya. This is the motion. Esā ñatti.
Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. Suṇātu me, ayye, saṅgho. This unmarried girl so-and-so, who is eighteen years old and training under Venerable so-and-so, is asking the Sangha for approval to train in the six rules for two years. Ayaṁ itthannāmā itthannāmāya ayyāya aṭṭhārasavassā kumāribhūtā saṅghaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ yācati. The Sangha gives approval to the unmarried girl so-and-so who is eighteen years old to train in the six rules for two years. Saṅgho itthannāmāya aṭṭhārasavassāya kumāribhūtāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ deti. Any nun who approves of giving approval to the unmarried girl so-and-so who is eighteen years old to train in the six rules for two years should remain silent. Yassā ayyāya khamati itthannāmāya aṭṭhārasavassāya kumāribhūtāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiyā dānaṁ, sā tuṇhassa; Any nun who doesn’t approve should speak up. yassā nakkhamati, sā bhāseyya.
The Sangha has given approval to the unmarried girl so-and-so who is eighteen years old to train in the six rules for two years. Dinnā saṅghena itthannāmāya aṭṭhārasavassāya kumāribhūtāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammuti. The Sangha approves and is therefore silent. I’ll remember it thus.’ Khamati saṅghassa, tasmā tuṇhī, evametaṁ dhārayāmī’”ti.
That unmarried girl who is eighteen years old should be told to say this: Sā aṭṭhārasavassā kumāribhūtā evaṁ vadehīti vattabbā—‘I undertake to abstain from killing living beings for two years without transgression. … “pāṇātipātā veramaṇiṁ dve vassāni avītikkamma samādānaṁ samādiyāmi …pe… I undertake to abstain from eating at the wrong time for two years without transgression.’” vikālabhojanā veramaṇiṁ dve vassāni avītikkamma samādānaṁ samādiyāmī”ti.
Then, after rebuking those nuns in many ways, the Buddha spoke in dispraise of being difficult to support … Atha kho bhagavā tā bhikkhuniyo anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā dubbharatāya …pe… “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
Final ruling
‘If a nun gives the full admission to an unmarried girl who is more than twenty years old, but who has not trained in the six rules for two years, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ vuṭṭhāpeyya, pācittiyan”ti.
Definitions
- A: Yā panāti
- whoever … yā yādisā …pe…
- Nun: bhikkhunīti
- … 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. …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti.
- Who is more than twenty years old: Paripuṇṇavīsativassā nāma
- who has reached twenty years of age. pattavīsativassā.
- An unmarried girl: Kumāribhūtā nāma
- a novice nun is what is meant. sāmaṇerī vuccati.
- Two years: Dve vassānīti
- two twelve-month periods. dve saṁvaccharāni.
- Who has not trained: Asikkhitasikkhā nāma
- the training has not been given to her, or the training has been given to her, but she has failed in it. sikkhā vā na dinnā hoti, dinnā vā sikkhā kupitā.
- Gives the full admission: Vuṭṭhāpeyyāti
- gives the full ordination. upasampādeyya. If, 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. “Vuṭṭhāpessāmī”ti gaṇaṁ vā ācariniṁ vā pattaṁ vā cīvaraṁ vā pariyesati, sīmaṁ vā sammannati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. After the motion, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ñattiyā dukkaṭaṁ. After each of the first two announcements, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Dvīhi kammavācāhi dukkaṭā. When the last announcement is finished, the preceptor commits an offense entailing confession, Kammavācāpariyosāne upajjhāyāya āpatti pācittiyassa. and the group and the teacher commit an offense of wrong conduct. Gaṇassa ca ācariniyā ca āpatti dukkaṭassa.
Permutations
If it is a legitimate legal procedure, and she perceives it as such, and she gives the full admission, she commits an offense entailing confession. Dhammakamme dhammakammasaññā vuṭṭhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. 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. Dhammakamme vematikā vuṭṭhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. 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. Dhammakamme adhammakammasaññā vuṭṭhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but she perceives it as legitimate, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Adhammakamme dhammakammasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Adhammakamme vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, and she perceives it as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Adhammakamme adhammakammasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if she gives the full admission to an unmarried girl who is more than twenty years old, and who has trained in the six rules for two years; paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhaṁ vuṭṭhāpeti, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
The second training rule is finished. Dutiyasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.