Lzh Mg Bi Pm Np 18Uktvā śikṣamāṇā
Pāli / Sanskrit:Uktvā śikṣamāṇā
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Commentary on the Uktvā Śikṣamāṇā Scripture
Background
The Uktvā Śikṣamāṇā Scripture is found within the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the section of the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha — the fundamental code of discipline for female renunciants in the Theravāda tradition. The title of this scripture is derived from the Pāli "Uktvā" (having spoken, having declared) and "Śikṣamāṇā" (female trainees, that is, women who are undergoing the preparatory training stages before formally taking full ordination as bhikkhunīs).
The Vinaya Piṭaka was established by the Blessed One Śākyamuni throughout his lifetime of teaching the Dharma, gradually building up the rules of discipline (Vinaya) in order to maintain harmony within the community of renunciants and to protect the Dharma. The regulations concerning female trainees are of particular importance, as they pertain to a gradual process of cultivation, proceeding from the foundational level up to the stage of the fully ordained bhikkhunī.
Principal Content
The Uktvā Śikṣamāṇā Scripture addresses the clauses and procedures relating to the declaration, recognition, and confirmation of the status of female trainees — those women whom the Blessed One permitted to undertake training in the rules of training (śikṣāpadā) in preparation for receiving full bhikkhunī ordination. This is not a period of freedom, but rather a disciplined process requiring serious commitment to the Dharma.
Within the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the act of "declaring" (uktvā) constitutes an important legal act. It is not merely ordinary speech, but a public declaration made before the community of monastics, carrying legal force and effecting a change in the individual's status. The female trainee must be recognized by the Saṅgha through specific procedures, ensuring that she clearly understands what she is committing herself to.
This scripture is closely connected to the regulations governing the witness of senior bhikkhunīs, as well as the verification of the capacity and resolve of female trainees. It forms part of a protective system — safeguarding the individual with respect to what she undertakes, and at the same time protecting the Saṅgha from commitments made in bad faith.
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