Chulavagga 10.1

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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-1.

1. Now at that time the Great Buddha was staying among the Sakyas in Kapilavatthu, in the Nigrodharama. And Maha-pajapati the Gotami(Buddha's Aunt/Foster Mother) went to the place where the Lord Buddha was, and on arriving there, bowed down before the Lord Buddha, and remained standing on one side. And so standing she spoke thus to the Lord Buddha:

'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 Tathagata(Buddha).'

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

[And a second and a third time did Maha-pajapati the Gotami make the same request in the same words, and receive the same reply.]

Then Maha-pajapati the Gotami sad and sorrowful for that the Lord Buddha would not permit women to enter the homeless state, bowed down before the Lord Buddha, and keeping him on her right hand as she passed him, departed from there weeping and in tears.

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

straight on he in due course arrived thereat. And there at Veshali the Lord Buddha stayed, in the Mahavana, in the Kutagara Hall.

And Maha-pajapati the Gotami(Buddha's Aunt/Foster Mother) cut off her hair, and put on orange-coloured robes, and set out, with a number of women of the Sakya clan, towards Veshali; and in due course she arrived at Veshali, at the Mahavana, at the Kutagara Hall. And Maha-pajapati the Gotami, with swollen feet and covered with dust, sad and sorrowful, weeping and in tears, took her stand outside under the entrance porch.

And the venerable Ananda saw her so standing there, and on seeing her so, he said to Maha-pajapati?: 'Why you stand there, outside the porch, with swollen feet and covered with dust, sad and sorrowful, weeping and in tears?'

'Inasmuch, O Ananda, as the Lord, the Lord Buddha, does not permit women to renounce their homes and enter the homeless state under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata(Buddha).'

3. Then did the venerable Ananda go up to the place where the Lord Buddha was, and bow down before the Lord Buddha, and take his seat on one side. And, so sitting, the venerable Ananda said to the Lord Buddha:

'Behold, Lord, Maha-pajapati the Gotami (Buddha's mother/aunt) is standing outside under the entrance porch, with swollen feet and covered with dust, sad and sorrowful, weeping and in tears, inasmuch as the Lord Buddha does not permit women to renounce their homes and enter the homeless state under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Lord Buddha. It were well, Lord, if women were to have permission granted to them to do as she desires.'

Enough, Ananda! Let it not please you that women should be allowed to do so.'

[And a second and a third time did Ananda make the same request, in the same words, and receive the same reply.]

Then the venerable Ananda thought: 'The Lord Buddha does not give his permission, let me now ask the Lord Buddha on another ground.' And the venerable Ananda said to the Lord Buddha:

'Are women, Lord, capable--when they have gone forth from the household life and entered the homeless state, under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Lord Buddha--are they capable of realising the fruit of conversion, or of the second Path, or of the third Path, or of Arahatship?'

'They are capable, Ananda.'

'If then, Lord, they are capable of that, since Maha-pajapati the Gotami(Buddha's Aunt/Foster Mother) has proved herself of great service to the Lord Buddha, when as aunt and nurse she nourished him and gave him milk, and on the death of his mother suckled the Lord Buddha at her own breast, it were well, Lord, that women should have permission to go forth from the household life and enter the homeless state, under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata(Buddha).'

4. 'If then, Ananda, Maha-pajapati the Gotami take upon herself the Eight Chief Rules let that be reckoned to her as her initiation.'

[They are these]: (1) 'A Bhikkhuni, even if of a hundred years standing, shall make salutation to, shall rise up in the presence of, shall bow down before, and shall perform all proper duties towards a Bhikkhu, if only just initiated. This is a rule to be revered and reverenced, honoured and observed, and her life long never to be transgressed.

(2) 'A Bhikkhuni(Nun) is not to spend the rainy season (of Was) in a district in which there is no Bhikkhu. This is a rule. . . . never to be transgressed.

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

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

(5) 'A Bhikkhuni who has been guilty of a serious offence is to undergo the Manatta discipline towards both the Sanghas (Bhikkhus and ]Bhikkhunis). This is a rule. . . . never to be transgressed.

(6) 'When a Bhikkhuni, as novice, has been trained for two years in the Six Rules, she is to ask leave for the upasampada initiation from both Sanghas (as well that of Bhikkhus as that of Bhikkhunis). This is a rule. . . . never to be transgressed.

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

(8) 'From from now on official admonition by Bhikkhunis of Bhikkhus is forbidden, whereas the official admonition of Bhikkhunis by Bhikkhus is not forbidden. This is a rule. . . . never to be transgressed.

'If, Ananda, Maha-pajapati the Gotami(Buddha's Aunt/Foster Mother) take upon herself these Eight Chief Rules, let that be reckoned to her as her initiation.'

5. Then the venerable Ananda, when he had learnt from the Lord Buddha these Eight Chief Rules, went to Maha-pajapati the Gotami and [told her all that the Lord Buddha had said].

'Just, Ananda, as a man or a woman, when young and of tender years, accustomed to adorn himself, would, when he had bathed his head, receive with both hands a garland of lotus flowers, or of jasmine flowers, or of atimuttaka flowers, and place it on the top of his head; even so do I, Ananda, take upon me these Eight Chief Rules, never to be transgressed my life long.'

6. Then the venerable Ananda returned to the Lord Buddha, and bowed down before him, and took his seat on one side. And, so sitting, the venerable Ananda said to the Lord Buddha: 'Maha-pajapati the Gotami, Lord, has taken upon herself the Eight Chief Rules, the aunt of the Lord Buddha, has received the upasampada initiation.'

If, Ananda, women had not received permission to go out from the household life and enter the homeless state, under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata(Buddha), then would the pure dhamma, Ananda, have lasted long, the good law would have stood fast for a thousand years. But since, Ananda, women have now received that permission, the pure Dhamma(path), Ananda, will not now last so long, the good law will now stand fast for only five hundred years. Just, Ananda, as houses in which there are many women and but few men are easily violated by robber burglars; just so, Ananda, under

whatever doctrine and discipline women are allowed to go out from the household life into the homeless state, that dhamma will not last long. And just, Ananda, as when the disease called mildew falls upon a field of rice in fine condition, that field of rice does not continue long; just so, Ananda, under whatsoever doctrine and discipline women are allowed to go forth from the household life into the homeless state, that dhamma will not last long. And just, Ananda, as when the disease called blight falls upon a field of sugar-cane in good condition, that field of sugar-cane does not continue long; just so, Ananda, under whatsoever doctrine and discipline women are allowed to go forth from the household life into the homeless state, that dhamma does not last long. And just, Ananda, as a man would in anticipation build an embankment to a great reservoir, beyond which the water should not overpass; just even so, Ananda, have I in anticipation laid down these Eight Chief Rules for the Bhikkhunis, their life long not to be overpassed.'

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Here end the Eight Chief Rules for the Bhikkhunis.