Pakiṇṇaka 40

The Buddha was staying in Sāvatthī. Both sanghas had been invited for a meal on the far shore of the river Aciravatī, and the bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs all wanted to cross over. The bhikkhus said: “The World-honored One has laid down the precept that we may not board a boat together.” The bhikkhus boarded in groups of two and three to keep the boat light, and crossed over. When they had all crossed, the bhikkhunīs crossed over. When they had crossed, they asked each other for their seniority. The time passed, so Mahāpajāpatī missed her meal, and was hungry and weak. She went to the World-honored One, paid respect, and stood at one side. The Buddha knew about this, and intentionally asked her: “Why are you hungry?” Then she fully informed the World-honored One about this matter. The Buddha said: “From now on, the eight most senior persons should sit in order of seniority according to dhamma. The others should sit as they arrive. If many people gather for the great festival every five years, the eight most senior bhikkhunīs should sit in order of seniority. The others should sit as they like. If the eight persons don’t sit in order of seniority, they break a minor vinaya rule.” This is what the World-honored One said.

Summary Verse

For the two sanghas purity isn’t the same, three reasons for not being a bhikkhu,

Three reasons for not being a bhikkhunī, no leftovers, the eight seniors,

The fifth chapter is finished.

Conclusion

From the bhikkhus’ collection of miscellaneous rules (pakiṇṇaka), the nine rules on living apart, garlic, umbrellas, vehicles, wielding a knife, leather sandals, sleeping together on one bed, sitting together on one bed, and dancing and music, should be removed and not recited. The remaining of the other 13 chapters are different from the bhikkhunīs’ rules. It’s not clear to me how it should make sense to remove nine rules, and then not share any of the rest. When comparing it with the Lokuttaravāda parallel, it seems obvious that this text is corrupted. The Lo gives instructions to remove the nine rules as above from various places in the bhikkhu pakiṇṇaka, and to replace them with nine other rules from the 12th chapter of the bhikkhu pakiṇṇaka. The 12th chapter is thus completely broken up, and integrated in the other chapters. Therefore, of the original 14 chapters, 13 remain, which are all shared between bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs.*

Five rules from the Abhisamācārika should be removed and not recited: wilderness, bathrooms, toilets, sewing robes, and bamboo mats. The remaining are all shared with the bhikkhunīs.

These are the pātimokkhas for the two sanghas and the 500 training precepts that the World-honored One has revealed: the introduction, the eight pārājika rules, the 19 saṅghādisesa rules, the 30 nissaggiya pācittiya rules, the 141 pācittiya rules, the eight pātidesanīya rules, the 64 training rules (sekhiyas), the seven rules to settle disputes, the dhammas and anudhammas, and lastly the verses. End of the bhikkhunī vinaya.