Confession 108

The 108th training precept: Knowingly giving the going forth to a married woman who isn’t 12 years old yet.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then foolish people unskillfully killed the Sakyans, and many Sakyan women who had nobody to depend on obtained the going forth. They worried about their relatives, longing for them and weeping with grief. Later they understood the dhamma, gradually gave up grieving, and asked for the full ordination. The bhikkhunīs said: “Wait until you’re 20 years old to receive the full ordination.” (The Sakyan novices) said: “Noble ones, to wait until 20 is such a long time.” The bhikkhunīs said: “When you’re 20, you can serve your preceptors and teachers.” The (novice) nuns said: “As householders, we were fully capable of running our husbands’ households. How could we now not be able to serve our preceptors and teachers?” The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha said: “If a married woman is between 12 and 18 years old, you should give her the sikkhamānā rules for two years, and then give her the full ordination. You should give them as follows:

Saṅghakamma

The whole sangha should gather and make her pay respect in order. In front of the most senior bhikkhunī, she should say: ‘Venerable bhikkhunīs, may the sangha listen. I, So-and-so, now, because of this matter, take venerable So-and-so as my preceptor. I ask the bhikkhunī sangha for the six rules and the six supplementary rules of sikkhamānās. May the bhikkhunī sangha give So-and-so the six rules and the six supplementary rules of sikkhamānās, with So-and-so as the preceptor. May those capable of kindness have compassion.’ She speaks like this three times. Then one bhikkhunī carries out the motion and the announcement: ‘Venerable bhikkhunīs, may the sangha listen. This 18 year old sāmaṇerī So-and-so, with So-and-so as the preceptor, now asks the bhikkhunī sangha for the two-year training in the six rules and the six supplementary rules. If the right time has come for the bhikkhunī sangha to allow this, the bhikkhunī sangha should approve that the bhikkhunī sangha now gives the 18 year old sāmaṇerī So-and-so the two-year training in the six rules and the six supplementary rules, with So-and-so as the preceptor. This is the motion.’ Then she carries out the announcement:

‘Venerable bhikkhunīs, may the sangha listen. This 18 year old sāmaṇerī So-and-so, with So-and-so as the preceptor, now asks the bhikkhunī sangha for the two-year training in the six rules and the six supplementary rules, with So-and-so as the preceptor. The bhikkhunī sangha now gives the 18 year old sāmaṇerī So-and-so the two-year training in the six rules and the six supplementary rules, with So-and-so as the preceptor. If the long-lived ones approve to give the 18 year old sāmaṇerī So-and-so the two-year training in the six rules and the six supplementary rules, with So-and-so as the preceptor, you should remain silent. If you don’t approve, you should speak.’ ‘The bhikkhunī sangha has given the 18 year old sāmaṇerī So-and-so the two-year training in the six rules and the six supplementary rules, with So-and-so as the preceptor. The bhikkhunī sangha has approved, therefore you’re silent. I now remember it like this.’

Then she should say: ‘So-and-so, listen. Starting from today, you should train in the six rules: 1) You may not walk on a path alone. 2) You may not cross a river alone. 3) You may not touch a man’s body. 4) You may not spend the night together with a man. 5) You may not engage in matchmaking activities. 6) You may not conceal a bhikkhunī’s grave offense.’”

Recite the summary verse:

Not walking on a path alone.

Not crossing a river alone.

Not intentionally touching a man.

Not spending the night together with a man.

Not engaging in matchmaking activities.

Not concealing a bhikkhunī’s grave offense.

“She should also say: ‘So-and-so, listen. Starting from today, you should train in the six supplementary rules: 1) You may not touch or possess personal gold and silver. 2) You may not shave the hair in the hidden place. 3) You may not cultivate and dig fertile soil. 4) You may not intentionally damage living grass and trees. 5) You may not eat what hasn’t been offered. 6) You may not eat food that has been touched.’”

Recite the summary verse:

Not touching gold etc.

Not removing the hair in the hidden place.

Not digging fertile soil.

Not damaging living grass and trees.

Not consuming unoffered food.

One shouldn’t eat what has been touched.

Origin Story (continued)

In this way, the World-honored One allowed married women to complete the two-year training in the six rules and the six supplementary rules of the sikkhamānā training, and then receive the full ordination. Then Thullanandā bhikkhunī gave the going forth and the full ordination to a woman who wasn’t 12 years old yet. The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha asked and criticized, as explained in detail, down to: “I’ll lay down another training precept. You should recite it like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī knows that a married woman isn’t 12 years old yet, and gives her the going forth, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” is as above.

“A married woman” means she has already gone to another family.

“Not yet” means she’s not 12 years old yet.

“Giving the going forth” is as explained above.

The explanations of the rule factors etc. are as explained in detail before.