Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pc 110Not Ordaining Trainees After She Follows

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– RULES OF DISCIPLINE FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPLAINING THE FIRST SECTION OF THE 141 PĀCITTIYAS

110. RULE: PROMISING TO CONFER FULL ORDINATION AND THEN NOT CONFERRING IT.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, at that time a trainee nun spoke to Sthūlanandā:

—Venerable, I have completed my training period; please give me full ordination.

—Very well.

Afterward, the trainee nun reminded her again: "Venerable, I have completed my training period; please give me full ordination." Although Sthūlanandā heard this, she did not confer full ordination, did not ask anyone else to confer it, and did not direct the trainee to go elsewhere to receive it. The bhikkhunīs then rebuked her: "Previously you promised to confer full ordination—why have you not done so?" Yet even upon hearing that rebuke, she still did not confer it.

The bhikkhunīs then reported the matter to Mahāprajāpatī. Mahāprajāpatī in turn went and presented the matter in full to the Blessed One. The Buddha then had Sthūlanandā summoned. When she had come, the Buddha asked:

—Did this really happen?

—It truly happened thus, Blessed One!

—That is a wrongful act. Why did you promise to confer full ordination upon another and then fail to do so? From this day forward, I do not permit such conduct.

Thereupon the Buddha instructed Mahāprajāpatī to convey his order to all the bhikkhunīs residing in the city of Śrāvastī to assemble together, and that even those who had already heard it must hear it again:

—If a bhikkhunī says to a śikṣamāṇā: "You have completed your training; I will give you full ordination," but afterward does not confer it, does not ask another to confer it, and does not direct her to go elsewhere, she commits a pācittiya offense.

EXPLANATION:

Śikṣamāṇā: one who trains in accordance with eighteen matters for two years.

Says: As in the case of bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā, who promised to confer full ordination and afterward neither conferred it herself nor asked anyone else to confer it—she commits a pācittiya offense.

Pācittiya: As stated above. If a bhikkhunī says to a śikṣamāṇā: "I will give you full ordination," but afterward is unable to do so, she should ask another to confer it. If she does not confer it herself and does not ask another to confer it, she should direct the śikṣamāṇā to go elsewhere to receive full ordination. If a bhikkhunī promises to give a śikṣamāṇā full ordination and afterward does not confer it, she commits a pācittiya offense.

If a bhikkhu promises to give a sāmaṇera full ordination and afterward does not confer it, he commits a duṣkṛta offense. 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 ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

Doctrinal verification: Thích Đỗng Minh