Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pc 97Ordaining Untrained Unmarried Girls

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS OF THE BHIKKHUNĪ

– EXPLAINING THE FIRST SECTION OF THE 141 PĀCITTIYAS

97. PRECEPT: ORDAINING ONE WHO HAS NOT TRAINED IN THE PRECEPTS.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, after he had established the rule prohibiting bhikkhunīs from conferring full ordination upon unmarried girls who had not yet completed twenty rains retreats, the bhikkhunīs then conferred full ordination upon unmarried girls who had completed twenty rains retreats. Yet other bhikkhunīs raised objections: "Whether one has completed twenty rains retreats or not — who can know for certain?"

The bhikkhunīs then reported this to Mahāprajāpatī. Mahāprajāpatī in turn brought the matter before the Blessed One. In the end, the Buddha instructed: "From this day forward, an unmarried girl of eighteen years of age who wishes to receive full ordination in the teaching of the Tathāgata must request from the Saṅgha two years of training in the precepts. She must first perform a kammavācā seeking permission before making her request. The one performing the kammavācā should announce as follows:

—May the noble Saṅgha listen. The unmarried girl such-and-such, eighteen years of age, wishes to receive full ordination in the Vinaya of the Tathāgata. If the time is right for the Saṅgha, may the Saṅgha permit such-and-such to come before the Saṅgha to request two years of training in the precepts.

—May the noble Saṅgha listen. The unmarried girl such-and-such, eighteen years of age, wishes to come before the Saṅgha to request two years of training in the precepts. The Saṅgha consents by silence. I record it thus.

Thereupon, this unmarried girl must come before the Saṅgha and request as follows:

—May the noble Saṅgha listen. I, the unmarried girl such-and-such, eighteen years of age, wish to receive full ordination in the Dharma and Vinaya of the Tathāgata. I now request from the Saṅgha two years of training in the precepts. May the Saṅgha out of compassion grant me two years of training in the precepts. (Request made three times in this way.)

The one performing the kammavācā should then say:

—May the noble Saṅgha listen. The unmarried girl such-and-such, eighteen years of age, wishing to receive full ordination in the Dharma and Vinaya of the Tathāgata, has requested from the Saṅgha two years of training in the precepts. If the time is right for the Saṅgha, may the Saṅgha grant such-and-such the kammavācā for two years of training in the precepts. This is the motion.

May the noble Saṅgha listen. The unmarried girl such-and-such, eighteen years of age, wishing to receive full ordination in the Dharma and Vinaya of the Tathāgata, has requested from the Saṅgha two years of training in the precepts. Any noble one who consents to granting such-and-such two years of training in the precepts should remain silent; any who does not consent should speak. This is the first kammavācā. (The second and third are spoken in the same manner.)

The Saṅgha has consented to grant such-and-such two years of training in the precepts. As the Saṅgha was silent, I record it thus.

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

—If a bhikkhunī confers full ordination upon an unmarried girl of twenty years of age without first giving her the training in the precepts, she commits a pācittiya offense.

EXPLANATION:

Having reached twenty years of age: This means having completed twenty rains retreats. If one has completed twenty rains retreats but has not yet reached twenty years of age, it is still called having completed twenty rains retreats. Furthermore, if one was born during the latter period of the rains retreat, after twenty years of latter-period rains retreats have been completed and the pavāraṇā ceremony has been performed, this is also called having reached twenty years of age.

Not giving the training in the precepts: If the kammavācā is not performed and yet the training in the precepts is given, this is also called not giving the training in the precepts. Or if the ten conditions are not fully met, this is also called not giving the training in the precepts. Even if the kammavācā is performed but the act is not properly accomplished — the motion not recited in accordance with the Dharma, the kammavācā not performed in accordance with the Dharma — if any one of these conditions is not fulfilled and full ordination is nonetheless conferred, a pācittiya offense is committed. Therefore the Blessed One has spoken thus (as above).

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHĀBHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

Reviewed for meaning by: Thích Đỗng Minh