Lzh Mg Bi Vb Np 18Uktvā śikṣamāṇā

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS OF THE BHIKKHUNĪS

– CONCLUSION OF THE SAṂGHĀVAŚEṢA PRECEPTS.

18. PRECEPT: PROMISING TO GIVE FULL ORDINATION BUT NOT GIVING IT.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, there was a śikṣamāṇā who said to Sthūlanandā: "Venerable one, please give me full ordination."

Sthūlanandā said: "If you offer a robe to me, I will give you full ordination." The woman then offered a robe. But afterward Sthūlanandā did not give her full ordination. The śikṣamāṇā then reminded her: "Please give me full ordination," and reminded her again and again, many times.

The bhikkhunīs then informed Mahāprajāpatī. Mahāprajāpatī brought the matter before the Blessed One. The Buddha had Sthūlanandā summoned. When she arrived, the Buddha asked:

—Did this really happen?

—It truly happened thus, Blessed One!

—That is a wrong thing.

Thereupon the Buddha instructed Mahāprajāpatī to issue a command to all the bhikkhunīs residing in the city of Śrāvastī to assemble together, and even those who had already heard it should hear it again:

—If a bhikkhunī says to a śikṣamāṇā: "Offer a robe to me and then I will give you full ordination," but after receiving the robe does not give full ordination, she commits a niḥsargika-pāyattika offense.

EXPLANATION:

Śikṣamāṇā: A woman who is training in the precepts.

Robe: There are seven types as mentioned above. There are also robes called the saṃghāṭī and so on up to the rain-bathing robe.

Promising full ordination: If afterward one does not give it oneself, and does not request another to give it, one commits a niḥsargika-pāyattika offense.

Niḥsargika-pāyattika: As explained above.

If a bhikkhunī has received a robe from a śikṣamāṇā and promised to give her full ordination, she must afterward give it to her. If due to old age or illness she lacks the strength and is unable to give the ordination, she should say to another: "Take this robe and give full ordination to that person." If the one seeking ordination no longer wishes to receive the precepts and asks for the robe back, it must be returned.

If a bhikkhunī makes a promise to a śrāmaṇerī but does not give her full ordination, she commits a vinaya transgression. Therefore the Blessed One spoke thus (as above).

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

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH