Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 134Ordaining Without Permission

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 134

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, at Śrāvastī. At that time, certain bhikkhunīs, upon hearing that the Blessed One had promulgated a rule permitting the ordination of persons with full ordination, hastily conferred full ordination upon those whose parents or husbands had not given permission. After the full ordination had been conferred, their parents or husbands came and took them back.

The bhikkhunīs who heard of this—among them those of few desires, of contentment, who practiced the dhutaṅga observances, who were fond of training in the precepts, who knew shame, and who had a sense of conscience—reproached them, saying: "How could you, upon hearing that the Blessed One had promulgated a rule permitting ordination, hasten to ordain those whose parents or husbands had not given permission, causing their parents or husbands to come and take them back?"

The bhikkhunīs went and reported the matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus reported it to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this cause and condition, assembled the community of bhikkhus and rebuked the bhikkhunīs:

"What you have done is wrong, not in accordance with proper conduct, not in accordance with the practice of a śramaṇa, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with dutiful behavior—it is something that should not be done. Why, when the Blessed One had promulgated a rule permitting ordination, did you hasten to ordain those whose parents or husbands had not given permission, so that afterward their parents or husbands came and took them back?"

Having rebuked them with countless skillful means, the Blessed One then said to the bhikkhus:

"These bhikkhunīs are a field for planting many seeds of the tainted; they are the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall lay down a precept for the bhikkhunīs, for ten reasons, up to the clause that the True Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhunī confers full ordination upon a person whose parents or husband have not given consent—pācittiya.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE

Bhikkhunī: as explained above.

Whatever bhikkhunī confers full ordination upon a person whose parents or husband have not given permission: upon completion of the third kammavācā, the preceptor incurs a pācittiya; upon completion of the second kammavācā, three duṣkṛtas; upon completion of the first kammavācā, two duṣkṛtas; upon completion of the motion, one duṣkṛta; if the motion is not yet completed, one duṣkṛta; before the motion is made, in the preparatory stages—the Saṅgha's announcement, the shaving of hair, the assembling of the community, the completion of the assembly—all incur duṣkṛtas.

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

Non-offense: if the person has received permission from her parents or husband; or if she has no parents or husband, there is no offense.

Those without offense: the first offender prior to the laying down of the rule; one who is insane, of disturbed mind, or who is overcome by pain and torment.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART 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 Committee, 2002