San Mg Bu Pm As 4Admission
Pāli / Sanskrit:Paṭiññātakaraṇa
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Exposition of the Paṭiññātakaraṇa Sutta (Entering the Buddha’s Trace)
Background
The Paṭiññātakaraṇa Sutta, provisionally translated as “Entering the Buddha’s Trace” or “Declaration of Entering the Stream,” is an important part of the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, belonging to the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha section, the precepts for bhikkhunīs. This sutta sets forth the official forms and ceremonies that a laywoman or female novice must perform in order to be formally recognized as a bhikkhunī within the Sangha community.
In the early context of the Buddha-Dharma, entering the Sangha was not a simple process. The Buddha established strict standards to ensure that those seeking entry into the path had a genuine aspiration, complied with the discipline, and were ready to practice the humble precepts. The process of Paṭiññātakaraṇa, formal declaration, was a key step in formalizing a person’s monastic status.
Main Content
The Paṭiññātakaraṇa Sutta clearly sets forth the procedure by which a woman candidate or a woman wishing to become a bhikkhunī must proceed. First, she must publicly declare before the Sangha that she wishes to abandon secular life and dedicate herself to the Buddhist path of practice. This declaration is not spontaneous speech, but must follow the standard formula prescribed by the Buddha.
In addition to declaring her intention, the sutta also states the prerequisites a woman must meet: she must not have contagious illness, must not be pregnant, must not be bound by debts or romantic attachment, must not be a slave, must not be legally bound, and must have the permission of her parents or guardians. These requirements are intended to protect both the individual seeking ordination and the Sangha community.
The sutta also stipulates that the declaration must be made three times, following the ritual act (saṃghakamma) before the Sangha. Each declaration is a confirmation of the will of the one seeking to go forth.
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