Confession 125

Origin Story

At that time, the Blessed One was in Sāvatthī in Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park.

Then the World-honored One had laid down a precept and allowed the bhikkhunīs to give the full ordination to others. And they gave the full ordination to young married women. When they had given the full ordination, (the women) didn’t know if men had defiled minds or not. They stood, talked, and amused themselves together with men with defiled minds.

When the bhikkhunīs heard this, there were among them those with few wishes, who knew moderation, who practised the austerities, who were keen on training in the precepts, and who knew shame. They rebuked these bhikkhunīs: “Why did you, when the World-honored One had laid down a precept and allowed the bhikkhunīs to give the full ordination to someone, give the full ordination to young married women? When they had received the full ordination, they didn’t know if men had defiled minds or not, and they stood, talked, and amused themselves together with men with defiled minds.” They went and told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus went and told the World-honored One. The World-honored One for this reason gathered the bhikkhu sangha and criticized these bhikkhunīs: “What you did is wrong, is improper conduct, against the rules of renunciates, an impure practice, a practice not to be followed, shouldn’t be done. Why did you give the full ordination to young married women? When they had received the full ordination, they didn’t know if men had defiled minds or not, and they stood, talked, and amused themselves together with men with defiled minds.” When he had criticized them in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus:

From now on, if you want to give the full ordination to someone, you should first inform the sangha of the head-shaving … giving the 10 precepts as in the rule above. From now on, I allow to ordain a 10 year old married woman, to give her the training precepts for two years, and to give her the full ordination when she’s 12 in a formal act with a motion as fourth as above.

From now on, I’ll lay down a precept for the bhikkhunīs, and state the 10 principles: … So that the true dhamma may last long. Someone wishing to recite the precept should recite like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī ordains a married, 10 year old woman, and gives her the training precepts for two years, then it’s allowed to give her the full ordination when she’s 12 years old. If she’s less than 12 and one gives her the full ordination, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

If a bhikkhunī knows that she’s less than 12 and gives her the full ordination, when they’ve carried out the three announcements, the preceptor commits a pācittiya. When they’ve carried out the motion and two announcements, it’s three dukkaṭas. When they’ve carried out the motion and one announcement, it’s two dukkaṭas. When they’ve carried out the motion, it’s one dukkaṭa. If the motion hasn’t yet been finished, it’s a dukkaṭa. If they haven’t yet done the motion, when they gather the sangha, or when the assembly is complete, in all cases it’s a dukkaṭa.

For a bhikkhu, it’s a dukkaṭa. This is called “to commit”.

“Not committed” means if she ordains and gives the training precepts for two years to a 10 year old, and when she’s 12, gives her the full ordination, the offense isn’t committed.

“Not committed” means if she’s the first offender when the precept hadn’t yet been laid down, if she’s mad, if she’s distracted, or if she’s overcome with pain. (End of the 125th rule.)