Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Pc 123Not Ordaining Trainees After Promising
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvaradāna-sikkhamānana-vuṭṭhāpana
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Scripture Commentary: Not Ordaining Trainees After Promising to Give Robes
Context
This scripture is found in the Vinaya Pitaka, specifically in the Patimokkha (Pali: Pātimokkha), the foundational code of ethical rules for the Sangha of Early Buddhism. These rules were recorded from specific incidents in which the Buddha criticized inappropriate conduct by bhikkhus or bhikkhunis, and thereafter established prohibitions in order to uphold the shared spirit of practice.
The title "Cīvaradāna-sikkhamānana-vuṭṭhāpana" translates as "Not Ordaining Trainees After Promising to Give Robes," and concerns the matter of giving robes (cīvara) to one who is about to receive ordination (sikkhamānā — a female probationer), and then failing to fulfill that promise or withdrawing it. This is a rule of the Pācittiya (Pali: Pācittiya) category, an offense requiring confession and expiation.
The deeper context of this rule reflects the practical difficulties encountered by the Sangha, wherein those wishing to receive ordination require material support — particularly robes — in order to complete the process of training. However, if a bhikkhu promises to give but subsequently refuses, this causes harm to trust and adversely affects the path of practice.
Main Content
This rule reflects a specific situation: a bhikkhu promises to give robes to a female probationer (sikkhamānā) about to receive ordination, named Sāḷhā, or in similar circumstances. After the woman has formally received the probationary status and become a sikkhamānā, the bhikkhu then fails to provide the promised robes, or claims that the promise is no longer in effect.
The essential point of the rule is not to prohibit the giving of robes, but to prohibit dishonest conduct in making and fulfilling promises. The Buddha regarded this as a Pācittiya offense — a fault less grave than a Pārājika (an offense of defeat), yet one that still requires public confession before the Sangha.
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