Bi Pc 7171. Ordaining an unmarried woman under twenty
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ūnavīsativassa-kumāribhūta
A nun who ordains an unmarried girl less than twenty years old must confess the offense.
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Bhikkhunī Pācittiya 71: The Rule Against Ordaining a Woman Under Twenty Years of Age
Background
This rule is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically within the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha — the code of discipline for bhikkhunīs. It is one of the important disciplinary provisions aimed at protecting the integrity and reputation of the Community of Bhikkhunīs within the Buddha's Teaching.
This rule arose in the context of the Blessed One recognizing the potential risks of allowing women who were too young, not yet mature in body or mind, to enter the monastic life of the Saṅgha. The age of twenty (ūnavīsati vassa) is considered the threshold of ripeness at which a woman possesses sufficient self-knowledge, self-governance, and the maturity necessary to uphold the precepts and adapt to the regulated monastic life.
The establishment of this age standard reflects the Buddha's wisdom in protecting both those who have gone forth and young women from situations that could cause harm or difficulty.
Principal Content
According to Bhikkhunī Pācittiya 71, when a bhikkhunī confers the higher ordination (upasampadā) upon a girl who is unmarried and under twenty years of age, that bhikkhunī commits an offense of the category of pācittiya — an offense requiring public confession and the performance of its corresponding expiation.
An important point to understand is that this rule does not absolutely prohibit the higher ordination of young women; rather, it requires a thorough process of preparation and verification. A girl under twenty years of age may still become a bhikkhunī, but an appropriate period of examination or preparation must first be undertaken. If a bhikkhunī fails to comply with this requirement and proceeds with the ordination hastily or without following proper procedure, she commits an offense and must confess it.
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