Lzh Mg Bi Pn 6Six

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– ON THE OPENING SECTION OF MISCELLANEOUS RULES

WHEN ORDAINING ONE WHO GOES FORTH, THE WORLDLY CLOTHING MUST BE CHANGED.

When the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Sāvatthī, at that time bhikkhunīs were ordaining women of the Sakya clan, the Malla clan, the Licchavi clan, and women from wealthy families who had gone forth, allowing them to continue wearing their worldly garments unchanged. At that time, daughters of poor families, when going out and attending festivals, would often come to rent those garments, and so the bhikkhunīs were censured by people who said: "These are clothes-renters, not those who have properly gone forth."

The bhikkhunīs then brought this matter and reported it to the Blessed One. In the end, when the Buddha questioned her, she replied:

—It is indeed so, Blessed One!

—From now on, when ordaining women who go forth, one should not allow them to continue wearing their worldly garments unchanged; one must instruct them to remove those garments before ordaining them. The procedure for relinquishing them is as follows: If a woman comes to request going forth, she should be instructed to remove her worldly garments. If she thinks: "Perhaps at that time grain and rice are expensive, alms-gathering is difficult, or in old age and sickness medicines are needed, and it is hard for women to obtain necessary requisites," then the garments may be left for safekeeping at a layperson's home.

If a woman wearing worldly garments comes and is ordained while still wearing them unchanged, this constitutes an offense of transgressing the Vinaya. This is called ordaining one who goes forth while still wearing worldly garments.

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: THE TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH THE ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

VERIFICATION OF MEANING: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH