Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pc 98Ordaining Untrained Candidate

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– RULES OF DISCIPLINE FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPLAINING THE FIRST SECTION OF THE 141 PĀCITTIYAS

98. RULE: CONFERRING FULL ORDINATION UPON ONE WHOSE TRAINING IS INCOMPLETE.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Sāvatthī, at that time a bhikkhunī conferred full ordination upon a sikkhamānā who had not yet completed her training. Thereupon, the Blessed One declared — and even those who have heard it must hear it again:

—If a bhikkhunī confers full ordination upon a sikkhamānā who has not yet completed her training, she commits a pācittiya offense.

EXPLANATION:

Receiving the training rules: Conferring the training rules, fully comprising ten conditions — the assembly being complete, the motion being complete, the kammavācā being complete, and all requisite conditions being complete — this is called receiving the training rules.

Training not yet completed: During the two years of receiving the training rules, one must comply with the training in eighteen matters. These are: when eating and drinking, one must sit below all bhikkhunīs and above all sāmaṇerīs; toward the sāmaṇerīs one may not be fully pure, yet toward the bhikkhunīs one must be pure; if one is not pure toward a bhikkhunī, then one is also not pure toward them; one may sleep in the same room with bhikkhunīs for three nights, and also with sāmaṇerīs for three nights; one may receive food offered by bhikkhunīs, except for the five kinds of food that require purification by fire; one may receive food together with sāmaṇerīs;

bhikkhunīs may not address them regarding the Prātimokṣa, from the pārājikas down to the duṣkṛta offenses, but may only say: do not engage in sexual misconduct, do not steal, do not kill a human being — instruction of this nature is permitted; they may not attend the Poṣadha or Pravāraṇā.

On the day of Poṣadha and Pravāraṇā, they must come before the senior monastics, bow their heads at the feet of the Saṃgha, and say the following: "I, so-and-so, am pure; may the senior monastics take note of this," saying this three times, and then withdraw. If one violates any one of the four concluding pārājika rules, on that very day one must begin the training rules anew. If one violates any of the thirteen saṃghāvaśeṣa rules or those following, all are confessed as duṣkṛta offenses.

If one transgresses any of the five rules — such as eating at the wrong time, storing food to eat later, accepting gold, silver, or currency, drinking intoxicants, or wearing garlands and perfumes — then from the day of whichever violation occurred, one must begin the two years of training anew from that day, and the period preceding it is forfeited. This is called training not yet completed.

If anyone confers full ordination upon one whose training is not yet completed, she commits a pācittiya offense. Therefore the Blessed One has spoken (as above).

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FǍXIǍN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

Meaning verified by: Thích Đỗng Minh