Lzh Mg Bi Vb Ss 7Ananujñātā

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST PART OF THE 19 SAṂGHĀVAŚEṢA RULES

7. PRECEPT: ORDAINING ONE WHOSE GUARDIAN HAS NOT GIVEN PERMISSION.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, there was at that time in the city of Rājagṛha a householder named Supriya, who had a young and virtuous wife. When her husband died, she had no interest in men; but her uncle wished to marry her. She then spoke to other women:

—I have no interest in men, yet my uncle wishes to take me as his wife.

—Do you wish to be free of this?

—I wish to be free.

—Go to Śrāvastī, to the Bhikkhunī Kālī; she will ordain you and enable you to go forth.

This woman followed that guidance and went to Śrāvastī, asking the people: "Where is the monastery of the Bhikkhunīs?" They pointed out the place. When she arrived, she asked: "Who is the Bhikkhunī Kālī?" They pointed out her room. She entered the room and asked:

—Venerable One, are you Kālī?

—I am. Why do you ask?

—I wish to go forth.

Kālī then ordained this woman and conferred full ordination upon her. Afterward, the uncle went searching but did not know where she had gone. Then someone informed him: "The Bhikkhunī Kālī in Śrāvastī has ordained her and enabled her to go forth." He then went to Śrāvastī and asked the people: "Where is the monastery of the Bhikkhunīs?" They pointed out the place. He went there and asked: "Which room belongs to the Bhikkhunī Kālī?" They again pointed out her room. He entered the room and asked:

—Venerable One, are you Kālī?

—I am, but why do you ask?

—I did not relinquish my wife. Why did the Bhikkhunī ordain my wife and enable her to go forth?

—Good man, where have you come from?

—From the city of Rājagṛha.

The Bhikkhunī then scolded him: "You wretch! You are a spy. People from Rājagṛha frequently come here to act as spies, prying into intelligence about our land." Then she said to her disciples: "Bring me my saṃghāṭī robe, and bind this wretch and have him thrown into prison."

Hearing this, he was seized with fear and thought: "The eyes of this person are truly frightening; she may well do this in earnest and not in jest!" So, darting his eyes about and keeping watch, he slowly withdrew. Once outside, he became furious and cried out: "This Bhikkhunī has ordained my wife unlawfully, and moreover wished to have me bound and arrested."

The Bhikkhunīs hearing this reported it to Mahāprajāpatī. Mahāprajāpatī then brought the matter and reported it to the Blessed One. The Buddha immediately ordered that Bhikkhunī to be summoned. When she arrived, the Buddha asked:

—Did this matter truly occur?

—It truly occurred, Blessed One!

—Kālī! This was wrong. Why did you ordain one whose guardian had not given permission? From this time forth, I do not permit the ordination of one without the consent of her guardian.

The Buddha then instructed Mahāprajāpatī to transmit the order that all Bhikkhunīs dwelling in Śrāvastī were to assemble together, and that even those who had already heard the rule must hear it again:

—If a Bhikkhunī ordains one whose guardian has not given permission, she commits a first offense of saṃghāvaśeṣa.

EXPLANATION:

Has not given permission: If the woman has not yet taken a husband, her father and mother must be asked; if she is already married, her husband, her husband's parents, and her husband's uncle must be asked. If they do not give permission and she is ordained and conferred full ordination, a saṃghāvaśeṣa offense is committed.

Saṃghāvaśeṣa: As stated above, this belongs to a first offense.

If a Bhikkhunī ordains one whose guardian has not given permission, she commits a Vinaya offense of transgression.

If she gives that person the training precepts, she commits a thullaccaya offense.

If she confers full ordination upon that person, she commits a saṃghāvaśeṣa offense.

Therefore the Blessed One spoke 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