Xct Mu Bi Pm Pc 87Ordaining a Pregnant Woman

SUTTA ON ORDINATION FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

Gabbhinī Pātimokkha

Background

In the early period of the Sangha, when Buddhist renunciant life was developing independently and the need for going forth increased, practical issues concerning the management of the community of monks and nuns arose one after another. The Gabbhinī sutta (Pregnant Woman) appears in the Pali Vinaya Pitaka, specifically in the Pātimokkha recitations of the Bhikkhunī-Saṃgha, in order to set clear regulations concerning ordination and the state of practice of female monastics in this special stage.

The background of this sutta reflects the care and wisdom of the Blessed Buddha and the Sangha in establishing rules that protect the rightness and purity of the discipline. The question raised is: should a pregnant woman be ordained? If she is ordained, what are her responsibilities and rules during this period of pregnancy?

Main Content

According to the principles of the Pali Vinaya, a female monastic (bhikkhuni) must maintain undertakings (samādāna) concerning purity of body, speech, and mind, as well as rules that support diligent practice on the path. However, the state of pregnancy in a woman presents physiological and psychological difficulties.

The rule states that a pregnant woman should not be ordained as a bhikkhuni until she has given birth and possesses sufficient bodily and mental conditions. This regulation is not discrimination, but the fairness and wisdom of the Buddhadharma, recognizing that the period of pregnancy requires special attention that is not suited to the strict discipline of a monastic. It also protects the physiological and psychological means of the woman during this time.

If a woman is already a bhikkhuni and later discovers that she is pregnant, the community of monks and nuns will have specific guidance on how to support her, including adjusting strenuous practices if necessary, until she is able to continue the discipline fully.