Xct Mu Bi Pm Pc 80Ordaining Untrained Candidate
Pāli / Sanskrit:Asikkhita-sikkhamānā
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The Discourse on an Untrained Female Candidate
Context
This rule appears in the Pātimokkha, the common code of discipline, specifically in the Pācittiya section, offenses requiring confession. It concerns the process of training and ordaining female candidates in Theravāda monasteries. During the Buddha’s lifetime, the Sangha of monks and nuns had clear regulations to protect the spirit of practice and improve the quality of those entering.
A female trainee (sikkhamānā) is a woman in the stage of training who has not yet been received as a full bhikkhunī. She must observe eight or ten training rules, depending on the traditions of the schools. However, not everyone has sufficient conditions to enter this stage. This discourse addresses a practical issue: what happens when someone without sufficient mental preparation or skill in practice is accepted as a female trainee.
Main Content
According to the regulations in the Vinaya Piṭaka, ordaining a female trainee must follow several important conditions. She needs to understand the basic training rules, have a genuine aspiration to go forth, and be physically healthy, without infectious disease. In particular, the instructor (upajjhāyinī - female preceptor) must personally verify that the candidate is ready to study the teachings.
The rule states the penalty (Pācittiya) if a female trainee who has not received minimal training (asikkhita) is ordained. The word “asikkhita” means “untrained” or “uneducated.” This is not the fault of the female trainee, but of those who witness or preside over the ordination if they know clearly that the candidate is unqualified and still proceed. The violation of this regulation is a breach of communal rules, whether saṃghādisesa or pācittiya depending on the nature of the fault.
This reflects the deep concern of the Sangha for the quality of practice and the spiritual maturity of each member.
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