Lzh Mi Bi Pm Pc 127Ordain One With Debt or Illness
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ordain one with debt or illness
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EXPLANATION OF THE SUTTA “ORDAIN ONE WITH DEBT OR ILLNESS” (Lzh Mi Bi Pm Pc 127)
Background
This sutta is a rule (Pācittiya) in the traditional Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vinaya. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of disciplinary regulations laid down by the Buddha to govern the monastic community, ensuring harmony and purity in the Sangha.
Pācittiya rules are violations lighter than Pārājika, offenses leading to expulsion, but they still require confession before the Sangha and the performance of the penalty. Usually, bhikkhunīs who commit these offenses must carry out the rite of confession (Pācittiya).
This sutta arose from specific situations in the history of the early Sangha, when practical issues concerning going forth and the management of the Sangha appeared, and the Buddha then established teachings to guide the monastic community.
Main Content
This rule states that if a woman with unpaid debts or serious illness is allowed to go forth and receive ordination without first resolving these issues, this is a wrongful act in the process of receiving those who come to practice.
Specifically, debt (riṇa) may be money or goods that the person still owes. If someone with unpaid debt asks to go forth and enter the Sangha, this not only creates legal problems for that person, but may also harm the creditors and affect the reputation of the Sangha.
Similarly, serious illness (byādhi) is a matter of physical health. If a person suffering from serious illness is admitted to go forth without first being treated, the illness may worsen and lead to death within the Sangha. This not only creates difficulty for the monastic community in providing care, but is also an act lacking compassion toward that person.
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