- 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 training rule on twelve years of seniority 75. Paripuṇṇadvādasavassasikkhāpada
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 nuns who had twelve years of seniority were giving the full admission without being approved by the Sangha. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇadvādasavassā saṅghena asammatā 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. And their students too were ignorant and incompetent, Saddhivihāriniyopi bālā honti abyattā; and they too 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 who have twelve years of seniority give the full admission without being approved by the Sangha?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇadvādasavassā saṅghena asammatā vuṭṭhāpessantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇadvādasavassā saṅghena asammatā 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 paripuṇṇadvādasavassā saṅghena asammatā 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 a nun who has twelve years of seniority to give the full admission. “anujānāmi, bhikkhave, paripuṇṇadvādasavassāya bhikkhuniyā vuṭṭhāpanasammutiṁ dātuṁ.
And the approval is to be given like this. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, dātabbā.
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: Tāya paripuṇṇadvādasavassāya bhikkhuniyā saṅghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā vuḍḍhānaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo—
‘Venerables, I, the nun so-and-so who has twelve years of seniority, ask the Sangha for approval to give the full admission.’ ‘ahaṁ, ayye, itthannāmā paripuṇṇadvādasavassā bhikkhunī saṅghaṁ vuṭṭhāpanasammutiṁ yācāmī’ti.
And she should ask a second Dutiyampi yācitabbā. and a third time. Tatiyampi yācitabbā.
The Sangha should then decide whether that nun is competent and has a sense of conscience. Sā bhikkhunī saṅghena paricchinditabbā— ‘byattāyaṁ bhikkhunī lajjinī’ti.
- If she is ignorant and shameless, approval should not be given. Sace bālā ca hoti alajjinī ca, na dātabbā.
- If she is ignorant but has a sense of conscience, approval should not be given. Sace bālā hoti lajjinī, na dātabbā.
- If she is competent but shameless, approval should not be given. Sace byattā hoti alajjinī, na dātabbā.
- If she is competent and has a sense of conscience, approval should be given. Sace byattā ca hoti lajjinī ca, dātabbā.
And it is to be given like this. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, dātabbā. A competent and capable nun should inform the Sangha: Byattāya bhikkhuniyā paṭibalāya saṅgho ñāpetabbo—
‘Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. ‘Suṇātu me, ayye, saṅgho. The nun so-and-so, who has twelve years of seniority, is asking the Sangha for approval to give the full admission. Ayaṁ itthannāmā paripuṇṇadvādasavassā bhikkhunī saṅghaṁ vuṭṭhāpanasammutiṁ yācati. If the Sangha is ready, it should give approval to nun so-and-so, who has twelve years of seniority, to give the full admission. Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ, saṅgho itthannāmāya paripuṇṇadvādasavassāya bhikkhuniyā vuṭṭhāpanasammutiṁ dadeyya. This is the motion. Esā ñatti.
Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. Suṇātu me, ayye, saṅgho. The nun so-and-so, who has twelve years of seniority, is asking the Sangha for approval to give the full admission. Ayaṁ itthannāmā paripuṇṇadvādasavassā bhikkhunī saṅghaṁ vuṭṭhāpanasammutiṁ yācati. The Sangha gives approval to nun so-and-so, who has twelve years of seniority, to give the full admission. Saṅgho itthannāmāya paripuṇṇadvādasavassāya bhikkhuniyā vuṭṭhāpanasammutiṁ deti. 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. Yassā ayyāya khamati itthannāmāya paripuṇṇadvādasavassāya bhikkhuniyā vuṭṭhāpanasammutiyā dānaṁ, sā tuṇhassa; Any nun who doesn’t approve should speak up. yassā nakkhamati, sā bhāseyya.
The Sangha has given approval to nun so-and-so, who has twelve years of seniority, to give the full admission. Dinnā saṅghena itthannāmāya paripuṇṇadvādasavassāya bhikkhuniyā vuṭṭhāpanasammuti. The Sangha approves and is therefore silent. I’ll remember it thus.’” Khamati saṅghassa, tasmā tuṇhī, evametaṁ dhārayāmī’”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 who has twelve years of seniority gives the full admission without approval from the Sangha, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī paripuṇṇadvādasavassā saṅghena asammatā 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 has twelve years of seniority: Paripuṇṇadvādasavassā nāma
- who has reached twelve years of seniority. pattadvādasavassā.
- Without approval: Asammatā nāma
- approval to give the full admission has not been given though a legal procedure consisting of one motion and one announcement. ñattidutiyena kammena vuṭṭhāpanasammuti na dinnā hoti.
- 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 has twelve years of seniority, has been approved by the Sangha, and then gives the full admission; paripuṇṇadvādasavassā saṅghena sammatā vuṭṭhāpeti, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
The fifth training rule is finished. Pañcamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.