Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 132Twelve Years of Seniority Without Approval

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 132

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the bhikkhunīs heard that the Blessed One had established a rule permitting bhikkhunīs of twelve rains' seniority to confer full ordination upon others, and they all claimed to have completed twelve rains. Being foolish, they hastily conferred full ordination upon others without knowing how to train them.

Because those ordained were not properly trained, they did not understand deportment, wore their robes untidily, did not beg for alms in accordance with the Dharma, received impure food everywhere, or received impure bowls. At mealtimes—both the minor meal and the main meal—they cried out loudly, like an assembly of brahmins conducted according to their own custom.

Among the bhikkhunīs who heard of this, there were those of few desires, contentment, and who practiced the ascetic virtues, who delighted in the study of the precepts and knew shame. They rebuked those bhikkhunīs: "How could you, having heard that the Blessed One established a rule permitting bhikkhunīs of twelve rains' seniority to confer full ordination upon others, claim yourselves to be of twelve rains' seniority and seek to confer full ordination upon others? Yet you are foolish women who do not know how to train others. Because those ordained by you were not properly trained, they do not understand deportment, wear their robes untidily, do not beg for alms in accordance with the Dharma… down to conducting themselves like an assembly of brahmins."

The bhikkhunīs came and reported the matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus came and reported it to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, convened the assembly of bhikkhus and rebuked those bhikkhunīs:

"What you have done is wrong—it is not in accordance with proper deportment, not in accordance with the Dharma of the renunciant, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with proper behavior. It is something that should not have been done. Why did you claim yourselves to be of twelve rains' seniority and seek to confer full ordination upon others, when you are foolish women who do not know how to train others? Because those ordained by you were not properly trained, they do not understand deportment, wear their robes untidily, do not beg for alms in accordance with the Dharma… down to conducting themselves like an assembly of brahmins."

Having rebuked those bhikkhunīs with numerous skillful means, the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

"These bhikkhunīs are a fertile ground for many defiled outflows; they are the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall establish a rule for the bhikkhunīs, comprising ten principles, up to and including the phrase 'for the long abiding of the true Dharma.'"

The rule should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhunī, though of twelve rains' seniority, not having been approved by the Sangha, confers full ordination upon another—pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhunī: the meaning is as above.

Whatever bhikkhunī, though of twelve rains' seniority, not having been approved by the Sangha, confers full ordination upon another—pācittiya. If, without the Sangha's approval, she accepts someone as a dependant or undertakes to support a sikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇerikā—all such cases are duṣkṛta.

For a bhikkhu—duṣkṛta. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: if one is of twelve rains' seniority and the Sangha has given approval to confer full ordination upon others, to accept dependants, and to support sikṣamāṇās and śrāmaṇerikās—there is no offense.

Those who do not offend: one who commits the act for the first time before the rule was established; one who is mentally deranged, of disturbed mind, or afflicted with pain and distress.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA, PART ONE

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

(Chinese translation, fascicles 1–21; Vietnamese translation, volumes 1 and 2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002