Chulavagga 10.2

Tipitaka >> Vinaya Pitaka >> Khandhaka >> Chulavagga >> Tenth Khandhaka >> 10.2

Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

CHULAVAGGA (THE MINOR SECTION)

TENTH KHANDHAKA (ON THE DUTIES OF BHIKKHUNIS/NUNS)

Chapter-2.

1. Now Maha-pajapati the Gotami(Buddha's Aunt/Foster Mother) went up to the place where the Lord Buddha was, and bowed down before him, and stood respectfully on one side. And, so standing, Maha-pajapati the Gotami spoke thus to the Lord Buddha: 'What course, Lord,

should I pursue towards these women of the Sakya clan?'

Then the Lord Buddha taught Maha-pajapati the Gotami and encouraged her, and motivated her, and gladdened her with dhamma discourse; and she, so taught, encouraged, motivated, and gladdened, bowed down before the Lord Buddha, and keeping him on net right hand as she passed him, she departed from there.

Then the Lord Buddha, in that connexion, delivered a dhamma discourse, and said to the Bhikkhus, 'I allow Bhikkhunis, O Bhikkhus, to receive the upasampada initiation from Bhikkhus.'

2. Now those Bhikkhunis said to Maha-pajapati the Gotami: 'Neither have you received the upasampada initiation, nor have we; for it has thus been laid down by the Lord Buddha: "Bhikkhunis are to be initiated by Bhikkhus(Monks)."'

Then Maha-pajapati the Gotami went to the venerable Ananda, and [repeated their words to him]. And the venerable Ananda went to the Lord Buddha, and [repeated them to him].

'In that moment, Ananda, when Maha-pajapati the Gotami took upon herself the Eight Chief Rules, that was to her as the upasampada initiation.'