Confession 126

Origin Story

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

The bhikkhunīs heard that the World-honored One had laid down a precept and allowed to ordain a 10 year old married woman and to give her the training precepts for two years, and when she’s 12 years old, to give her the full ordination. They ordained people who were blind, lame, crippled, deaf, and who had all kinds of other diseases that disgraced the sangha.

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 criticized these bhikkhunīs: “The World-honored One has laid down a precept to ordain a 10 year old married woman, and to give her the training precepts for two years, and when she’s 12, to give her the full ordination. Why did you then ordain people who are blind, deaf, and who have all kinds of other diseases that disgrace the sangha?” Then the bhikkhunīs 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, when the World-honored One had laid down a precept and allowed the bhikkhunīs to ordain a 10 year old married woman, and to give her the training precepts for two years, and when she’s 12, to give her the full ordination, then ordain people who are blind, lame, crippled, deaf, and who have all kinds of other diseases that disgrace the sangha?” When he had criticized them in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus:

“From now on, I allow to give the full ordination in a formal act with a motion as fourth. You should do the following to give (the ordination): Take the ordination candidate to a place out of earshot but within sight, … ‘I, having instructed her, allow her to come’, also as above. When she has come to the bhikkhunī sangha, the precepts master should carry out a motion and ask about the difficulties … a formal act with a motion as fourth as above … give the precepts in the bhikkhu sangha rule by rule as above, in the same way as in the rule about the 18 year old girl.

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 young married woman and gives her the training precepts for two years, and when she’s 12 years old, just gives her the full ordination without informing the sangha, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

If a bhikkhunī ordains a young married woman and gives her the training precepts for two years, and when she’s 12 years old, just gives her the full ordination without informing the sangha, 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 a 12 year old, married woman and informs the sangha when she gives 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 126th rule.)