San Lo Bi Vb Pc 102Ordaining Untrained Married Girls

Exposition of the Paripuṇṇadvādasavassa-asikkhita-gihigata Sutta

Background

This sutta belongs to the Saddharmavinaya, the Dharma-Vinaya, of the Theravāda Vinaya, an important part of the Pāli Canon. The content concerns regulations on ordaining women, specifically girls who have not been trained in discipline and are still in a married state. This is a rule (Pācittiya) belonging to the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the detailed explanation of the rules of practice for bhikkhunīs.

The background of this sutta is connected with specific events in the time of Buddha Śākyamuni. When female devotees wished to go forth, sometimes they were not yet psychologically ready, did not clearly understand the nature of religious conduct, or still had strong worldly attachments, especially marital relationships. The Vinaya therefore established standards to ensure that those who go forth are fully prepared, especially women.

Main Content

The rule Paripuṇṇadvādasavassa-asikkhita-gihigata provides that girls who have not been trained (asikkhita) in the discipline and are still in a married state (gihigata), regardless of whether they have reached the required age, may not be allowed to go forth as bhikkhunīs or be received into the community of nuns. This means that before a woman can formally go forth, she must:

First, be completely separated from the married state or legal ties to a husband. If a marital relationship remains unresolved, ordination will not be lawful.

Second, undergo a period of training (sikkhamānā, female trainee), like a preparatory stage in which the woman studies the basic precepts, clearly understands the nature of practice, and demonstrates her true resolve. This training period is not only to test psychological readiness, but also to give her an opportunity to practice the rules before formally receiving full training.