Bi Pc 6767. Ordaining a trained married girl without approval

Commentary on Bhikkhunī Pācittiya 67: Ordaining a Married Woman Without the Approval of the Sangha

Background

This rule appears in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the section governing offenses of the Pācittiya class — actions that require confession and acknowledgment of fault before the Sangha. In the context of early Indian Buddhism, the personal circumstances of those seeking ordination were of considerable concern. Specifically, a woman who was already married, even if she had practiced virtue and training for twelve years or more (paripuṇṇa-dvādasavassa), and who wished to go forth and be ordained as a bhikkhunī, was required to have the consent of both her husband and the Sangha. This condition reflects respect for family relationships and the legal rights of the husband in the society of that time, as well as ensuring transparency and proper procedure in the process of ordination.

This rule was established to prevent cases in which a bhikkhunī, acting on her own intention, would disregard the proper procedure and ordain married women without the approval of the Sangha.

Main Content

When a bhikkhunī ordains a married woman without having obtained the approval of the Sangha, this act constitutes a Pācittiya offense — not a more serious offense such as Saṅghādisesa or Pārājika. This means that the bhikkhunī who commits the offense must confess it before at least one other bhikkhunī; and the woman who has just been ordained may also be subject to separate provisions depending on the nature of the act.

The term paripuṇṇa-dvādasavassa-sikkhita makes clear that this woman is not someone who has trained freely or has never undergone training — she has completed the proper course of training for twelve years or more, demonstrating genuine seriousness of purpose. However, her status as gihigata (dwelling in a household, that is, being married) constitutes an obstacle.