San Lo Bi Vb Pc 100Ordaining Married Girls Under Twelve

Explanation of the Ūnadvādasavassa-gihigata Scripture (San Lo Bi Vb Pc 100)

Context

This scripture is recorded in the Sutta Vibhaṅga section of the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the rules of training for bhikkhunīs. It is one of the Pācittiya offenses in the training discipline of bhikkhunīs in the Theravāda tradition.

The context in which this rule arose is connected with the administration of ordination (pabbajjā), formal entry into the order of female monastics. The Buddha established strict principles concerning the age and marital status of those wishing to go forth as bhikkhunīs, in order to protect the purity of the order and avoid disputes in lay society. The issue of married girls who were still too young, under twelve, wishing to go forth created complex situations; therefore the Buddha laid down a specific regulation for this case.

Main Content

The scripture stipulates that married girls who have not yet reached twelve years of age should not be permitted to receive ordination as bhikkhunīs. If a bhikkhunī violates this rule, that is, if she actively administers ordination to a girl who is married but not yet of sufficient age, it is a Pācittiya offense, a class of offense for which the offender must confess and undertake stricter practice.

The reason for this regulation is very practical. A married girl who is still too young may encounter complex legal and social conflicts. Her husband may not consent to her leaving the marriage to go forth. This could lead to disputes, complaints, or even harm to the reputation of the order. Moreover, a girl who is too young may not yet be psychologically mature enough to decide upon such a major turning point in life as going forth.

The age of twelve is considered the minimum threshold at which a woman may be able to endure the difficulties of monastic life, from restraining desire to adapting to discipline and the practice of the Dharma.