Chulavagga 10.3

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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-3.

1. Now Maha-pajapati the Gotami(Buddha's Aunt/Foster Mother) went up to the place where the venerable Ananda was, and bowed down before him, and stood respectfully on one side.

And, so standing, Maha-pajapati the Gotami said to the venerable Ananda: 'One thing, Ananda, would I ask of the Lord Buddha. It were well, Sir, if the Lord Buddha would allow the making of salutations, the rising up in presence of another, the paying of reverence, and the performance of proper duties one towards another, to take place as between both Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis (equally) according to seniority.'

And the venerable Ananda went to the Lord Buddha [and repeated her words to him].

'This is impossible, Ananda, and unallowable, that I should so order. Even those others, Ananda, teachers of ill doctrine, allow not such conduct towards women; how much less, then, can the Tathagata(Buddha) allow it?'

And the Lord Buddha, on that occasion, having delivered a dhamma discourse, addressed the Bhikkhus, and said: 'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to bow down before women, to rise up in their presence, to stretch out your joined hands towards them, nor to perform towards them those duties that are proper (from an inferior to a superior). Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata.'