Lzh Mg Bi Pm Pc 103Ordaining Trained Married Girls Without Approval
Pāli / Sanskrit:Paripuṇṇadvādasavassa-sikkhita-gihigata-asammata
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
SCRIPTURE ON THE PROHIBITION OF ORDAINING MARRIED WOMEN WITHOUT APPROVAL
Background
This scripture is recorded in the Vinaya Pitaka, in the section of the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha — the code of discipline for bhikkhunis. The Vinaya Pitaka is a collection of regulations concerning discipline, organizational structure, and ethical standards that the Buddha established for the monastic community (Sangha) from the earliest times. These rules are not arbitrary prohibitions, but arose from specific situations and were formulated by the Buddha to protect the purity of the monastic community and to maintain the faith of Buddhist laypeople.
This scripture concerns the matter of selecting worthy candidates for discipleship and the procedures for going forth (Pabbajjā) as well as higher ordination (Upasampadā). In the context of ancient Indian society, married women bore family responsibilities, and their entering the monastic life required the consent of their husbands or guardians. This scripture reflects the fairness and respect that the Buddha's Dharma holds toward established family relationships.
Main Content
The scripture stipulates that it is not permissible to confer ordination upon a woman who is a wife and who has had the experience of living together in marriage (sikkhita — trained in the life of marriage), without the explicit consent of her husband or guardian. This is referred to as "asammata" (not yet approved).
This rule is defined with precision: the woman must meet the criteria regarding age (paripuṇṇa dvādasavassa — having completed twelve years) and marital status (gihigata — living within a household, specifically as a married woman with a husband). If ordination proceeds without such consent, it is regarded as a violation of the Paramātika Sikkhāpadānam (the most essential rules).
The underlying reason is to honor the commitments and responsibilities that already exist. The Buddha did not wish for the going forth into monastic life to become a means of escaping marital obligations in an abrupt or inequitable manner.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.