Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 165Ordaining Incontinent

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 165

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

At one time, the Bhagavā was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, certain bhikkhunīs, having heard that the Blessed One had established a rule permitting the conferral of full ordination, proceeded to confer full ordination upon women whose bowels and bladder were habitually incontinent and whose phlegm and saliva perpetually dripped and flowed. The bodies of those ordained were soiled, their robes were soiled, and their bedding was soiled.

Among the bhikkhunīs who heard of this, there were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the austere dhūta qualities, who delighted in training in the precepts, and who possessed a sense of shame and remorse. These bhikkhunīs rebuked the offending bhikkhunīs, saying: "Why have you ordained women whose bowels and bladder are habitually incontinent and whose phlegm and saliva perpetually drip and flow, causing their bodies to be soiled, their robes to be soiled, and their bedding and blankets to be soiled?"

The bhikkhunīs then reported the matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus went and reported it to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this circumstance, 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 Dharma of a recluse, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with proper behavior — it is something that ought not to have been done. How could bhikkhunīs ordain women whose bowels and bladder are habitually incontinent and whose phlegm and saliva perpetually drip and flow, causing their bodies to be soiled, their robes to be soiled, and their bedding and blankets to be soiled?"

Having rebuked them by means of countless skillful means, the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus:

"These bhikkhunīs are a field that cultivates many defiled seeds; they are the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall establish a rule for the bhikkhunīs, encompassing ten principles of meaning, up to and including the phrase 'for the long abiding of the true Dharma.'"

The rule to be proclaimed shall be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī confers full ordination upon a woman whose bowels and bladder are habitually incontinent and whose phlegm and saliva perpetually drip and flow — pācittiya.

The Blessed One established this rule for the bhikkhunīs in this manner. Some bhikkhunīs did not know whether the candidate's bowels, bladder, or phlegm and saliva were dripping and flowing or not. Only afterward did they come to know, and so some performed the pācittiya confession, and some were doubtful. The Buddha instructed:

"If one did not know, there is no offense."

Henceforth the rule shall be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī, knowing that a woman's bowels and bladder habitually drip and flow, and that her phlegm and saliva continually discharge, nevertheless confers full ordination upon her — pācittiya.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE

Bhikkhunī: as explained above.

Whatever bhikkhunī, knowing that a woman's bowels and bladder habitually drip and flow and her phlegm and saliva discharge, confers full ordination upon her — upon completion of the third karmavācanā, the preceptor bhikkhunī incurs pācittiya; upon completion of the second karmavācanā, three duṣkṛtas; upon completion of the first karmavācanā, two duṣkṛtas; upon completion of the motion, one duṣkṛta; while the motion is incomplete, one duṣkṛta; before the motion has been put, if she shaves the head, confers ordination, and assembles the complete assembly — all incur duṣkṛta.

A bhikkhu: duṣkṛta. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: If one did not know beforehand, or trusted the word of a trustworthy person, or trusted the word of the candidate's parents, and conferred full ordination, and only afterward did the illness arise — in all such cases there is no offense.

Those not guilty of an offense: one who commits the act before the rule has been established; one who is mentally deranged, of confused mind, or overwhelmed by acute pain and distress.

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: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002