Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pc 99Ordaining Trained Candidate Without Approval

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS OF THE BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPLAINING THE FIRST SECTION OF THE 141 PĀCITTIYAS

99. PRECEPT: NOT CONFERRING FULL ORDINATION UPON ONE WHO HAS COMPLETED TRAINING.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, the Blessed One had at that time established a rule not permitting bhikkhunīs to confer full ordination upon one who had not completed two years of training in the precepts. Therefore, bhikkhunīs had a girl of eighteen rains undertake training in the precepts for two years, and upon reaching twenty rains, confer full ordination upon her. Nevertheless, the bhikkhunīs still criticized this, saying: "Who can know whether a trainee has completed her training or not?"

The bhikkhunīs then brought this matter and presented it to Mahāpajāpatī. Eventually the Buddha instructed: "From now on, when a girl who has completed her training in the precepts at twenty rains wishes to receive full ordination in the Dharma and Discipline of the Tathāgata to become a bhikkhunī, she must first perform a kamma of supplication, and then come before the Sangha to request the kamma of completed training in order to receive full ordination. The one performing the kamma should speak as follows:

—May the noble Sangha listen. The girl named so-and-so, aged twenty, has completed her training in the precepts and wishes to receive full ordination in the Dharma and Discipline of the Tathāgata. If the time has come for the Sangha, may the Sangha allow so-and-so to come before the Sangha to request full ordination on account of having completed her training in the precepts.

—May the noble Sangha listen. The girl named so-and-so, aged twenty, has completed her training in the precepts and wishes to come before the Sangha to request full ordination on account of having completed her training in the precepts. The Sangha consents and therefore remains silent; I record the matter thus.

Thereupon, this person must enter the midst of the Sangha, kneel, join her palms together, and make request as follows:

—May the noble Sangha listen. I, the girl named so-and-so, aged twenty, have completed my training in the precepts and wish to receive full ordination in the Dharma and Discipline of the Tathāgata. I now request of the Sangha full ordination on account of having completed my training in the precepts. I humbly beseech the Sangha to compassionately grant me full ordination on account of having completed my training in the precepts. (Request thus three times.)

The one performing the kamma should speak as follows:

—May the noble Sangha listen. The girl named so-and-so, having completed twenty rains and having completed her training in the precepts, wishes to receive full ordination in the Dharma and Discipline of the Tathāgata to become a bhikkhunī. She now requests of the Sangha full ordination on account of having completed her training in the precepts. If the time has come for the Sangha, may the Sangha now confer upon so-and-so the kamma of full ordination on account of having completed her training in the precepts. This is the motion.

—May the noble Sangha listen. The girl named so-and-so, having completed twenty rains and having completed her training in the precepts, wishes to receive full ordination to become a bhikkhunī in the Dharma and Discipline of the Tathāgata, and has requested of the Sangha full ordination on account of having completed her training in the precepts. The Sangha now confers upon so-and-so full ordination on account of having completed her training in the precepts. Any noble one who consents to the conferring of full ordination upon so-and-so on account of having completed her training in the precepts, let them remain silent; whoever does not consent, let them speak. This is the first kamma act. (The second and third are spoken in the same way.)

The Sangha has consented to conferring upon so-and-so the kamma of full ordination; since the Sangha is silent, I record the matter thus.

Thereupon, the Buddha instructed Mahāpajāpatī Gautamī to transmit the order to all bhikkhunīs living in the city of Śrāvastī to assemble together, and that even those who had already heard must hear it again:

—If a trainee-nun has completed her training in the precepts and yet a bhikkhunī does not perform the kamma to confer full ordination upon her, she commits a pācittiya offense.

EXPLANATION:

Completed training in the precepts: During two rains retreats, she has followed and practiced the eighteen matters.

Not performing the kamma: Not performing the kamma to confer full ordination — the (preceptor) bhikkhunī commits a pācittiya offense.

Pācittiya: As stated above. Therefore the Blessed One spoke thus (as above).

End of the thirty-eighth volume.

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: THE TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FǍXIǍN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

MEANING VERIFIED BY: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH