Chulavagga 10.17

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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-17.

1. Now at that time there were found among the Bhikkhunis some who were [deformed in one or other of eleven ways].

They told this matter to the Lord Buddha.

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that a woman on whom the upasampada initiation is being conferred, is to be questioned as touching the four-and-twenty Disqualifications. And thus, O Bhikkhus, is she to be questioned:

(1-11) "Have you any one or other of the eleven deformities [each repeated as above]?"

(12-16) "Have you any of the following diseases--leprosy, boils, dry leprosy, consumption, or fits?"

(17) "Are you a human being?"

(18) "Are you a female?"

(.19) "Are you a free woman?"

(20) "Are you free from debts?"

(21) "Are you not in the king's service?"

(22) "Have your father and mother given their consent?"

(23) "Are you full twenty years of age?"

(24) "Are you duly provided with robes and alms-bowl?"

"What is your name?"

"What is the name of your proposer?"'

2. Now at that time Bhikkhus put the questions as touching the Disqualifications to Bhikkhunis, and they who were seeking after the upasampada initiation became disconcerted and perplexed, and were unable to answer.

They told this matter to the Lord Buddha.

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that initiation is to be conferred in the Bhikkhu-sangha upon a Bhikkhuni(Nun) who has been initiated on the one side in the Bhikkhuni-sangha, and has there cleared herself (from the Disqualifications).'

Now at that time the Bhikkhunis questioned those who desired to receive the upasampada initiation about the Disqualifications, without having had them instructed beforehand (how to answer). The persons who desired to be ordained became disconcerted and perplexed, and were not able to answer.

They told this matter to the Lord Buddha.

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you first instruct the women about to be initiated (how to answer), and that you then question them as to the Disqualifications.'

Then they instructed the candidates in the midst of the assembly, and they still became disconcerted, and could not answer.

They told this matter to the Lord Buddha.

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that they be instructed aside, and then questioned in the midst of the assembly.

And thus, O Bhikkhus, ought they to be instructed:--First they ought to be made to choose an instructor; when they have chosen an instructor their robes and bowl must be shown to them: "This is your alms-bowl, this is your waist-cloth, this is your upper garment, this is your under garment, this is your vest, this is your bathing dress. Go and stand in such and such a place."'

3. Ignorant and incompetent (Bhikkhunis) instructed them, and they became disconcerted, perplexed, and unable to answer.

They told this matter to the Lord Buddha.

'They are not to be instructed, O Bhikkhus, by unlearned, incompetent Bhikkhunis. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata. I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that they be instructed by learned and competent Bhikkhunis.'

4. Bhikkhunis not appointed (to the office of doing so) instructed them.

They told this matter to the Lord Buddha.

'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, instruct them without

having been appointed to that. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata. I prescribe, O Bhikkhus(monks), that a Bhikkhuni(nun) appointed to the office instruct them.

'And thus, O Bhikkhus, ought she to be appointed--one may either appoint herself, or one may be appointed by another. And how is a Bhikkhuni to appoint herself? Let a learned, competent Bhikkhuni lay the following motion (natti) before the Sangha "Let the Sangha, reverend Ladies, hear me. N. N. desires to receive the upasampada initiation from the venerable lady, M. M. If it seem meet to the Sangha, I will instruct N. N." Thus may a Bhikkhuni appoint herself.

And how is a Bhikkhuni to be appointed by another? Let a learned, competent Bhikkhuni(Nun) lay the following resolution before the Sangha: "Let the Sangha, reverend Ladies, hear me. N. N. desires to receive the upasampada initiation from the venerable lady, M. M. If it seem meet to the Sangha, let A. A. instruct N. N." Thus may one Bhikkhuni be appointed by another.

5. 'Then let that so appointed Bhikkhuni go to the person who is seeking to be initiated, and thus address her: "Listen to me, N. N. This is the time for you to speak the truth, to declare that which is. When you are asked about what has happened before the Sangha, you ought, if it is so, to answer: "That is so;" if it is not so, to answer: "That is not so," Be not perplexed, be not disconcerted. I shall ask you thus: "Are you deformed (&c., down to the end of the twenty-six questions in §-1)."'

(After the instruction was over, the instructor and the candidate) returned together to the assembly.

'They are not to return together. Let the instructor return first, and lay the following resolution before the Sangha: "Let the Sangha, reverend Ladies, hear me. N. N. desires to receive the upasampada initiation from the venerable lady, M. M.; and she has been instructed by me. If it seem meet to the Sangha, let N. N. come forward." Then let her be told to come forward. Then let her be told to adjust her upper robe over one shoulder only, to bow down before the Bhikkhunis, to sit down on her heels, and stretching forth her joined palms, to ask for the upasampada initiation, saying: "I ask the Sangha, reverend Ladies, for initiation. May the Sangha, reverend Ladies, raise me up (out of the worldly life), having pity on me." And a second and a third time is she to repeat that request.

6. 'Then let a learned and competent Bhikkhuni lay the following resolution before the Sangha: "Let the Sangha, reverend Ladies, hear me. This person, N. N., desires to receive the upasampada initiation from M. M.; and she has been instructed by me. If it seem meet to the Sangha, let me question N. N. as touching the Disqualifications. Listen to me, N. N. [as before, down to the end of the questions]."

7. 'Then let a learned and competent Bhikkhuni lay the following motion before the Sangha: "Let the Sangha, reverend Ladies, hear me. This person, N. N., desires to receive the upasampada initiation from the venerable lady, M. M. She is free from the Disqualifications, and is duly provided with alms-bowl and robes. This person, N. N., asks the Sangha for the upasampada initiation, the venerable

lady, M. M., being her proposer. If it seem meet to the Sangha, let the Sangha receive N. N., the venerable lady, M. M., being her proposer. That, then, is the motion.

'"Let the Sangha, venerable Ladies, hear me. N. N. desires to receive the upasampada, the lady, M. M., being her proposer. The Sangha confers the upasampada upon N. N., the lady, M. M., being her proposer. Whosoever of the venerable ones agrees to that, let her keep silence; whosoever agrees not to that, let her speak. A second time I say the same thing." [The whole of this paragraph repeated.] And a third time I say the same thing. [Paragraph repeated.]

'The Sangha has conferred the upasampada upon N. N., the lady, M. M., being her proposer. The Sangha agrees to that. Therefore is it silent. Thus do I understand.'

8. 'Then, further, let her be taken before the Bhikkhu-sangha, and there told to arrange her robe over one shoulder only, to bow down before the Bhikkhus, and, sitting down on her heels, to stretch forth her joined palms, and say: "I, Sirs, N. N., who, being desirous of receiving the upasampada initiation from M. M., have received it on the one side (of the Sangha, from the Bhikkhunis), and have there been declared free (from the Disqualifications), do by this ask the Sangha for the upasampada." [The rest of the proceedings are the same as before the Bhikkhuni-sangha.] "May the Sangha, reverend Sirs, raise me up (out of the worldly life), having pity on me." And a second time do I by this ask [&c., repeated]. And a third time do I by this ask [the same repeated].

[The rest of the proceedings are the same as in the last sections 6 and 7, putting 'Bhikkhu' for 'Bhikkhuni,' and 'reverend Sirs' for 'reverend Ladies.]

'Then, further, let them (the Bhikkhus) measure the shadow, tell (the newly-received Bhikkhuni) what season and what date it is, tell her what part of the day it is, tell her the whole formula, and tell the Bhikkhunis: "You are to teach her what are the three things allowed, and what are the eight things interdicted."'