Lzh Mu Bi Pm Pc 109Ordaining Trained Married Girls Without Approval

Scripture Commentary: Ordaining a Married Trained Bhikkhunī Without Consent

Background

This rule is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the disciplinary code for bhikkhunīs. It arose from a particular event in the early Buddhist monastic community, when questions about the conditions and standards for receiving women into the monastic order became matters that needed regulation.

The “trained bhikkhunīs” (sikkhita) in this context refers to women who had undergone a long course of religious practice and had a good record of training. The designation “gihigata” (household, married) refers to laywomen or women with a spouse. This rule concerns the fact that such women could not be ordained (formally become bhikkhunīs) without the consent of their husband or their family.

Main Content

This rule belongs to the system of regulations concerning the necessary conditions by which a woman could be ordained into the Buddha’s order. It emphasizes that becoming a bhikkhunī was not only a personal matter for the woman herself, but also involved her social and family responsibilities.

Specifically, if a married woman, or a woman with a family, wished to go forth and become a bhikkhunī, the consent of her husband, if he was living, or the approval of her family was required. This was not a requirement concerning faith, but a practical regulation intended to avoid legal conflicts, marital disputes, or undesirable social consequences.

This rule shows the consideration of the Buddha’s Dharma for the social realities of the time. Although going forth is a noble choice, the Buddha did not overlook the duties and responsibilities a woman might have toward her family or husband. It was a way to maintain harmony and respect between personal practice and social relationships.