Garudhamma

The bhikkhunīs’ eight rules of respect.

On the uposatha day, the bhikkhunīs go to the monastery, invite one bhikkhu as they please, and receive instruction in the dhamma. The bhikkhunī sangha needs to be harmonious. The sangha chooses one bhikkhunī to come and receive the instruction. She must come together with a companion. Having arrived, she pays respect with her head at the instructor bhikkhu’s feet, greets him, and should say: “The harmonious bhikkhunī sangha pays respect with their heads at the harmonious bhikkhu sangha’s feet, and asks for the half-monthly instruction in the dhamma. As the instruction in the dhamma is given, we’ll receive and remember it.” The bhikkhu should tell the bhikkhunī: “Sakyamuni Buddha, the Tathāgata, accomplished, and rightly and fully awakened, the one who knows, the one who sees, has half-monthly spoken eight rules of respect for the bhikkhunīs. Which eight?

1) A bhikkhunī of a hundred years seniority who sees a newly-ordained bhikkhu should single-mindedly and humbly pay respect at his feet.

2) A bhikkhunī should ask for full ordination from the bhikkhu sangha. In other schools, she asks from both sanghas.*

3) If a bhikkhunī commits a saṅghādisesā offense, she should ask for the procedure of probation mānatta* for half a month from both sanghas.

4) A bhikkhunī may not spend the rains retreat in a place where no bhikkhus live.

5) A bhikkhunī who has finished the rains retreat should invite both sanghas in regard to seen, heard, or suspected offenses.

6) A bhikkhunī should receive the eight rules of respect from the bhikkhus every half-month.

7) A bhikkhunī should say to a bhikkhu: “Allow me to ask about suttas, vinaya, or abhidhamma.” If the bhikkhu allows it, she should ask. If he doesn’t allow it, she may not ask.

8) A bhikkhunī may not speak of a bhikkhu’s seen, heard, or suspected offenses. These are the eight.” Unlike other schools, this text doesn’t mention sikkhamānās, or a two-year training period.*

One bhikkhunī receives these eight rules of respect. At the uposatha time, she should address the bhikkhunī sangha and recite these eight rules of respect. After the uposatha, on the next day, the bhikkhunī who has previously received the eight rules of respect, should return and pay respect at the instructor bhikkhu’s feet: “The harmonious bhikkhunī sangha pays respect with their heads at the harmonious bhikkhu sangha’s feet. The harmonious bhikkhunī sangha has completed the uposatha.”

Below, the bhikkhu rule is explained. When the harmonious sangha is reciting the precepts, and when that bhikkhu who instructs the bhikkhunīs hears the bhikkhu who recites the precepts say: “The sangha is now in harmony. What should be done first?”, he should go to the most senior bhikkhu, uncover his right shoulder, kneel down, join his palms, and say: “The harmonious bhikkhunī sangha pays respect with their heads at the harmonious bhikkhu sangha’s feet and asks for the half-monthly instruction in the dhamma. As the instruction in the dhamma is given, (they) will receive it.” The senior bhikkhu should say: “A harmonious bhikkhunī sangha doesn’t need to carry out the formal act of instruction.” That bhikkhu should return to the bhikkhunī: “The sangha tells you: ‘The Buddha has rescinded the formal act of instruction of bhikkhunīs for a harmonious bhikkhunī sangha.’” Presumably, this just means that the saṅghakamma doesn’t need to be performed. The instruction as such is still done. Other than this passage here, I can’t find anything in the canonical Sarvāstivāda vinaya (T1435) that mentions the saṅghakamma or the instruction being rescinded.* All bhikkhus instructing bhikkhunīs may not leave the boundary. If they leave the boundary, they incur a dukkaṭa offense.

Sarvāstivāda Bhikkhunī Vinaya, fascicle 47.