Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Dh Pc 117Ordaining Married Girls Under Twenty
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ūnavīsativassa-kumāribhūta
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Explanation of the Ūnavīsativassa-kumāribhūta Discourse (Ordaining Married Girls Under Twenty)
Background
This discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, specifically in the Pātimokkha, the basic code for bhikkhunīs. It is one of the rules (sikkhāpada) that Śākyamuni Buddha promulgated to maintain discipline and purity in the bhikkhunī community (bhikkhunī Sangha).
The historical context for this rule concerns specific cases that occurred in early communities of practice, when women with families (udāhu bhartṛkā) or girls who were still young wished to go forth as bhikkhunīs. Some of these cases caused controversy or difficulties in community administration. Therefore, the Buddha established restrictions concerning age and marital status to protect both individuals and the community of practice.
Main Content
The Ūnavīsativassa-kumāribhūta discourse, provisionally translated as “Girls Not Yet Twenty Years Old,” states that a married woman (bhartṛkā) or girls under twenty years old (ūnavīsativassa) should not be recognized as entering the monastery as bhikkhunīs. If anyone violates this rule, that is, grants permission for a girl or wife who is not yet of age or does not have her husband’s consent to enter ordination, this is a Pārayattika offense, one of the heaviest disciplinary rules, requiring public confession before the community.
The reason behind this rule is profound. First, the age of twenty is considered mature enough to understand clearly what one is doing; going forth is not an impulsive decision, but requires psychological maturity. Second, a woman who has married has obligations toward her family; ordination without the husband’s consent would create unnecessary conflicts and difficulties. This rule is intended to ensure that those who go forth as bhikkhunīs are legally free and have made an autonomous decision.
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