Cullavagga, Khandaka 10, Chapter 17

1. Now at that time there were found among the Bhikkhunīs some who were [deformed in one or other of eleven ways]^[1].

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that a woman on whom the upasampadā initiation is being conferred, is to be questioned as touching the four-and-twenty Disqualifications^[2]. And thus, O Bhikkhus, is she to be questioned:

(1-11) "Have you any one or other of the eleven deformities [each repeated as above]?"

(12-16) "Have you any of the following diseases—leprosy, boils, dry leprosy, consumption, or fits?"

(17) "Are you a human being^[3]?"

(18) "Are you a female?"

(.19) "Are you a free woman?"

(20) "Are you free from debts?"

(21) "Are you not in the king's service?"

(22) "Have your father and mother given their consent?"

(23) "Are you full twenty years of age?"

(24) "Are you duly provided with robes and alms-bowl?"

"What is your name?"

"What is the name of your proposer^[4]?"'

2. Now at that time Bhikkhus put the questions as touching the Disqualifications to Bhikkhunīs^[5], and they who were seeking after the upasampadā initiation became disconcerted and perplexed, and were unable to answer.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that initiation is to be conferred in the Bhikkhu-saṃgha upon a Bhikkhunī who has been initiated on the one side in the Bhikkhunī-saṃgha, and has there cleared herself (from the Disqualifications).'

Now at that time the Bhikkhunīs questioned those who desired to receive the upasampadā initiation about the Disqualifications, without having had them instructed beforehand (how to answer). The persons who desired to be ordained became disconcerted and perplexed, and were not able to answer^[6].

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you first instruct the women about to be initiated (how to answer), and that you then question them as to the Disqualifications.'

Then they instructed the candidates in the midst of the assembly, and they still became disconcerted, and could not answer.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that they be instructed aside, and then questioned in the midst of the assembly.

And thus, O Bhikkhus, ought they to be instructed:—First they ought to be made to choose an instructor^[7]; when they have chosen an instructor their robes and bowl must be shown to them: "This is your alms-bowl, this is your waist-cloth, this is your upper garment, this is your under garment, this is your vest, this is your bathing dress^[8]. Go and stand in such and such a place."'

3. Ignorant and incompetent (Bhikkhunīs) instructed them, and they became disconcerted, perplexed, and unable to answer.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'They are not to be instructed, O Bhikkhus, by unlearned, incompetent Bhikkhunīs. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa. I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that they be instructed by learned and competent Bhikkhunīs.'

4. Bhikkhunīs not appointed (to the office of doing so) instructed them.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, instruct them without having been appointed thereto. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa. I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that a Bhikkhunī appointed to the office instruct them.

'And thus, O Bhikkhus, ought she to be appointed—one may either appoint herself, or one may be appointed by another. And how is a Bhikkhunī to appoint herself? Let a learned, competent Bhikkhunī lay the following motion (ñatti) before the Saṃgha "Let the Saṃgha, reverend Ladies, hear me. N. N. desires to receive the upasampadā initiation from the venerable lady, M. M. If it seem meet to the Saṃgha, I will instruct N. N." Thus may a Bhikkhunī appoint herself.

And how is a Bhikkhunī to be appointed by another? Let a learned, competent Bhikkhunī lay the following resolution before the Saṃgha: "Let the Saṃgha, reverend Ladies, hear me. N. N. desires to receive the upasampadā initiation from the venerable lady, M. M. If it seem meet to the Saṃgha, let A. A. instruct N. N." Thus may one Bhikkhunī be appointed by another.

5. 'Then let that so appointed Bhikkhunī go to the person who is seeking to be initiated, and thus address her: "Listen to me, N. N. This is the time for you to speak the truth, to declare that which is. When you are asked about what has happened before the Saṃgha, you ought, if it is so, to answer: "That is so;" if it is not so, to answer: "That is not so," Be not perplexed, be not disconcerted. I shall ask you thus: "Are you deformed (&c., down to the end of the twenty-six questions in § 1)."'

(After the instruction was over, the instructor and the candidate) returned together to the assembly.

'They are not to return together. Let the instructor return first, and lay the following resolution before the Saṃgha: "Let the Saṃgha, reverend Ladies, hear me. N. N. desires to receive the upasampadā initiation from the venerable lady, M. M.; and she has been instructed by me. If it seem meet to the Saṃgha, let N. N. come forward." Then let her be told to come forward. Then let her be told to adjust her upper robe over one shoulder only, to bow down before the Bhikkhunīs, to sit down on her heels, and stretching forth her joined palms, to ask for the upasampadā initiation, saying: "I ask the Saṃgha, reverend Ladies, for initiation. May the Saṃgha, reverend Ladies, raise me up (out of the worldly life), having pity on me." And a second and a third time is she to repeat that request.

6. 'Then let a learned and competent Bhikkhunī lay the following resolution before the Saṃgha: "Let the Saṃgha, reverend Ladies, hear me. This person, N. N., desires to receive the upasampadā initiation from M. M.; and she has been instructed by me. If it seem meet to the Saṃgha, let me question N. N. as touching the Disqualifications. Listen to me, N. N. [as before, down to the end of the questions]."

7. 'Then let a learned and competent Bhikkhunī lay the following motion before the Saṃgha: "Let the Saṃgha, reverend Ladies, hear me. This person, N. N., desires to receive the upasampadā initiation from the venerable lady, M. M. She is free from the Disqualifications, and is duly provided with alms-bowl and robes. This person, N. N., asks the Saṃgha for the upasampadā initiation, the venerable lady, M. M., being her proposer. If it seem meet to the Saṃgha, let the Saṃgha receive N. N., the venerable lady, M. M., being her proposer. That, then, is the motion.

'"Let the Saṃgha, venerable Ladies, hear me. N. N. desires to receive the upasampadā, the lady, M. M., being her proposer. The Saṃgha confers the upasampadā upon N. N., the lady, M. M., being her proposer. Whosoever of the venerable ones agrees thereto, let her keep silence; whosoever agrees not thereto, let her speak. A second time I say the same thing." [The whole of this paragraph repeated.] And a third time I say the same thing. [Paragraph repeated.]

'The Saṃgha has conferred the upasampadā upon N. N., the lady, M. M., being her proposer. The Saṃgha agrees thereto. Therefore is it silent. Thus do I understand.'

8. 'Then, further, let her be taken before the Bhikkhu-saṃgha, and there told to arrange her robe over one shoulder only, to bow down before the Bhikkhus, and, sitting down on her heels, to stretch forth her joined palms, and say: "I, Sirs, N. N., who, being desirous of receiving the upasampadā initiation from M. M., have received it on the one side (of the Saṃgha, from the Bhikkhunīs), and have there been declared free (from the Disqualifications), do hereby ask the Saṃgha for the upasampadā." [The rest of the proceedings are the same as before the Bhikkhunī-saṃgha.] "May the Saṃgha, reverend Sirs, raise me up (out of the worldly life), having pity on me." And a second time do I hereby ask [&c., repeated]. And a third time do I hereby ask [the same repeated].

[The rest of the proceedings are the same as in the last sections 6 and 7, putting 'Bhikkhu' for 'Bhikkhunī,' and 'reverend Sirs' for 'reverend Ladies.]

'Then, further, let them (the Bhikkhus) measure the shadow, tell (the newly-received Bhikkhunī) what season and what date it is, tell her what part of the day it is, tell her the whole formula^[9], and tell the Bhikkhunīs: "You are to teach her what are the three things allowed^[10], and what are the eight things interdicted^[11]."'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Here follow a number of abnormities, deformities, or diseases, all of which have reference to the womb or its accessories. Some of them are unintelligible to us. Compare the corresponding section in respect to Bhikkhus at Mahāvagga I, 68.

[2]:

Of these twenty-four, eleven are the deformities just referred to, and the rest are the same as those for Bhikkhus at Mahāvagga I, 76. The number of questions is, in fact, twenty-six, but the last two do not refer to Disqualifications.

[3]:

For the reason of this, see Mahāvagga I, 63.

[4]:

Pavattinī; corresponding to upajjhāya in the case of Bhikkhus.

[5]:

This is in accordance with the rule laid down in X, 2, 2, that Bhikkhus, and not Bhikkhunīs, are to confer the upasampadā.

[6]:

This paragraph is word for word the same as Mahāvagga I, 76, 2 of the Bhikkhus.

[7]:

Upajjhaṃ. It should be observed that this expression is found only here, and in the corresponding section for the Bhikkhus, at Mahāvagga I, 76, 3. Elsewhere, throughout, Upajjhāya is the form used for Bhikkhus, and Pavattinī for Bhikkhunīs. The word is probably here also, as in the Mahāvagga I, 76, 3, to be taken as a masculine.

[8]:

These last two are omitted in the corresponding section for the Bhikkhus, Mahāvagga I, 76, 3. On Saṃkacchikaṃ, see the note of the Old Commentator on the 96th Bhikkhunī Pācittiya, and on Udaka-sāṭikā, the same on the 22nd Bhikkhunī Pācittiya.

[9]:

Saṃgīti. On the meaning of this curious use of the word, see our note on the corresponding section for the Bhikkhus (Mahāvagga I, 77).

[10]:

The three Nissayas, which are doubtless the same as the 1st, 2nd, and 4th of the four Resources mentioned in the corresponding paragraph for Bhikkhus (Mahāvagga I, 77). The third is forbidden to Bhikkhunīs, below, X, 23.

[11]:

Aṭṭha akaraṇīyāni. These must bear he same relation to the eight Bhikkhunī Pārājikas as the four Interdicts in the corresponding paragraph for the Bhikkhus (Mahāvagga I, 78) do to the four Bhikkhu Pārājikas.