Bi Pc 8282. Ordaining every year
Pāli / Sanskrit:Anuvassa
A nun who gives ordination in consecutive years must confess the offense.
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Commentary on Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha 82 (Anuvassa)
Background
This text appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha — the code of discipline established exclusively for female monastics (bhikkhunīs). In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is regarded as the ethical foundation and governing framework of the monastic community. The rules concerning the granting of full ordination (upasampadā) are held in the highest regard, as they determine the legitimacy and purity of the Saṅgha.
The matter regulated in this text concerns the authority of senior female monastics with respect to seniority in granting permission for new bhikkhunīs to enter into training. Ordinarily, only those bhikkhunīs who possess sufficient experience — a minimum of five years in the monastic life — may directly participate in the process of granting full ordination. However, violations of the Vinaya may occur when one exceeds the bounds of one's authority or fails to observe the rules pertaining to the requisite time and conditions.
Main Content
The Anuvassa rule addresses a specific case: a bhikkhunī who grants ordination to disciples in successive years (anuvassa meaning "year after year"), yet does so in violation of certain prescribed conditions. Specifically, the bhikkhunī in question may have granted ordination without following the proper procedure, or exceeded the permitted number, or done so without the attestation of the Saṅgha.
According to the principles of the Pātimokkha, such an act is regarded as an offence requiring confession (āpatti). The gravity of the offence is classified on the basis of the intention and nature of the transgression. The bhikkhunī must either herself recognize or be shown her erroneous conduct, and thereafter confess it before the Saṅgha.
In practice, the granting of ordination is a weighty responsibility and may not be carried out at will. Each bhikkhunī must possess a sufficient number of rains retreats (vassa), a sound knowledge of the Dhamma, and the capacity to guide those who are newly entering upon the path of training. If these conditions are not fulfilled, the act of granting ordination becomes a Vinaya violation that must be rectified through the process of confession.
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