Bi qiu ni, Bǐ qiū ní: 7 definitions
Introduction:
Bi qiu ni means something in Buddhism, Pali. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Buddhism
Chinese Buddhism
比丘尼 [bi qiu ni]—bhikṣuṇī. A nun, or almswoman. The first woman to be ordained was the Buddha's aunt Mahāprajāpatī, who had nursed him. In the fourteenth year after his enlightenment the Buddha yielded to persuasion and admitted his aunt and women to his order of religious mendicants, but said that the admission of women would shorten the period of Buddhism by 500 years. The nun, however old, must acknowledge the superiority of every monk; must never scold him or tell his faults; must never accuse him, though he may accuse her; and must in all respects obey the rules as commanded by him. She accepts all the rules for the monks with additional rules for her own order. Such is the theory rather than the practice. The title by which Mahāprajāpatī was addressed was applied to nuns, i. e. ārya, or noble, 阿姨 [a yi], though some consider the Chinese term entirely native.
[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]
比丘尼 [bi qiu ni]—Bhikṣuṇī — [Term] Bhikṣuṇī, a common designation for women who have left home and received the full precepts. It is also newly referred to as Bìchúní (苾芻尼 [bi chu ni]). The Sanskrit "ni" (尼 [ni]) indicates the feminine gender. Therefore, Bhikṣu (比丘 [bi qiu]) refers to a male monastic, and Bhikṣuṇī refers to a female monastic. Jùshè Guāngjì (俱舍光記 [ju she guang ji]) Volume 14 states: "Bìchú (苾芻 [bi chu]), in Tang (Chinese) language, means 'begging mendicant' (乞士 [qi shi]); the old term 'Bhikṣu' (比丘 [bi qiu]) is an error. As for Bìchúní (苾芻尼 [bi chu ni]) and Bìchú (苾芻 [bi chu]), the explanation is as before; 'ni' (尼 [ni]) is the feminine sound." Huìlín Yīnyì (慧琳音義 [hui lin yin yi]) Volume 2 states: "The meaning of Bìchúní (苾芻尼 [bi chu ni]) is as stated above, it is a general term for a woman who has left home. The 'ni' (尼 [ni]) by rule indicates the feminine gender, meaning it is a feminine sound." The establishment of the Bhikṣuṇī order began when Ananda earnestly requested that the Buddha's maternal aunt, Mahapajapati Gotami (大愛道 [da ai dao]), be the first to be ordained as a monastic. Refer to the entry for Bìchú (苾芻 [bi chu]).
比丘尼—【術語】Bhikṣuṇi，女子出家受具足戒者之通稱。新云苾芻尼。梵語尼者，顯女性之聲也。因之比丘為男僧，比丘尼為女僧。俱舍光記十四曰：「苾芻，唐言乞士，舊云比丘，訛也。苾芻尼苾芻如前解，尼是女聲。」慧琳音義二曰：「苾芻尼義說同上，出家女之總名，尼例聲明即女聲也。」以阿難懇請初度佛之姨母大愛道為僧，是為比丘尼之始。參照苾芻條。(苾芻)
[shù yǔ]Bhikṣuṇi, nǚ zi chū jiā shòu jù zú jiè zhě zhī tōng chēng. xīn yún bì chú ní. fàn yǔ ní zhě, xiǎn nǚ xìng zhī shēng yě. yīn zhī bǐ qiū wèi nán sēng, bǐ qiū ní wèi nǚ sēng. jù shě guāng jì shí sì yuē: “bì chú, táng yán qǐ shì, jiù yún bǐ qiū, é yě. bì chú ní bì chú rú qián jiě, ní shì nǚ shēng.” huì lín yīn yì èr yuē: “bì chú ní yì shuō tóng shàng, chū jiā nǚ zhī zǒng míng, ní lì shēng míng jí nǚ shēng yě.” yǐ ā nán kěn qǐng chū dù fú zhī yí mǔ dà ài dào wèi sēng, shì wèi bǐ qiū ní zhī shǐ. cān zhào bì chú tiáo.(bì chú)
[shu yu]Bhiksuni, nu zi chu jia shou ju zu jie zhe zhi tong cheng. xin yun bi chu ni. fan yu ni zhe, xian nu xing zhi sheng ye. yin zhi bi qiu wei nan seng, bi qiu ni wei nu seng. ju she guang ji shi si yue: "bi chu, tang yan qi shi, jiu yun bi qiu, e ye. bi chu ni bi chu ru qian jie, ni shi nu sheng." hui lin yin yi er yue: "bi chu ni yi shuo tong shang, chu jia nu zhi zong ming, ni li sheng ming ji nu sheng ye." yi a nan ken qing chu du fu zhi yi mu da ai dao wei seng, shi wei bi qiu ni zhi shi. can zhao bi chu tiao.(bi chu)
1) 比丘尼 ts = bǐ qiū ní p refers to [noun] “bhiksuni”; Domain: Buddhism 佛教 [fu jiao] , Subdomain: Fo Guang Shan; Notes: (Glossary of Humanistic Buddhism).
2) 比丘尼 ts = bǐ qiū ní p refers to [noun] “bhiksuni; nun; bhikkhuni”; Domain: Buddhism 佛教 [fu jiao]; Notes: Sanskrit equivalent: bhikṣuṇī, Pali: bhikkhunī, Japanese: bikuni, Tibetan: dge slong ma (BL 'bhikṣuṇī', pp. 115-116; Ding '比丘尼 [bi qiu ni]'; FGDB '比丘尼 [bi qiu ni]'; Matsuo 2007, p. 23; SH '比丘尼 [bi qiu ni]', p. 159; Tzu Chuang 2012, p. 19)..
Chinese Buddhism (漢傳佛教, hanchuan fojiao) is the form of Buddhism that developed in China, blending Mahayana teachings with Daoist and Confucian thought. Its texts are mainly in Classical Chinese, based on translations from Sanskrit. Major schools include Chan (Zen), Pure Land, Tiantai, and Huayan. Chinese Buddhism has greatly influenced East Asian religion and culture.
Languages of India and abroad
Chinese-English dictionary
比丘尼 [bǐ qiū ní] refers to: “nun”.
比丘尼 is further associated with the following language/terms:
[Related Chinese terms] 乞士女; 女僧; 尼; 尼僧; 尼姑; 師姑; 師娘; 比呼尼; 法尼; 苾芻尼; 薰女; 除女.
[Sanskrit] bhikṣuṇī-pratisaṃyukta.
[Pali] bhikkhunī.
[Tibetan] dge slong ma.
[Vietnamese] tỷ khưu ni.
[Korean] 비구니 / biguni.
[Japanese] ビクニ / bikuni.
Chinese language.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Qiu, Mi, Chou, Bi, Ni.
Starts with: Bi qiu ni a yi, Bi qiu ni ba gui jing jie, Bi qiu ni ba jing jie, Bi qiu ni bi ni, Bi qiu ni bo luo ti mu cha seng qi jie ben, Bi qiu ni chuan, Bi qiu ni da jie, Bi qiu ni jie, Bi qiu ni jie ben, Bi qiu ni pi ni, Bi qiu ni seng, Bi qiu ni seng qi lu bo luo ti mu cha jie jing, Bi qiu ni seng qi lu jie jing, Bi qiu ni seng tuan de fa zhan, Bi qiu ni si.
Full-text (+158): Bi qiu ni jie, Da ai dao bi qiu ni jing, Zhu bi qiu ni, You bo luo bi qiu ni, Bi qiu ni da jie, Wu fen bi qiu ni jie ben, Bi qiu ni seng qi lu jie jing, Mo he seng qi bi qiu ni jie ben, Bi qiu ni chuan, Yu bo luo hua bi qiu ni, Bi chu ni, Chu jin nu, Bi qiu ni bi ni, Bi qiu ni pi ni, Bi qiu bi qiu ni, Bi qiu ni ba jing jie, Si fen bi qiu ni jie ben, Tan mo ti na bi qiu ni, Si fen bi qiu ni jie mo fa, Bi qiu ni seng.
Relevant text
Search found 10 books and stories containing Bi qiu ni, 比丘尼, Bǐ qiū ní, Bǐqiūní, Biqiuni; (plurals include: Bi qiu nis, 比丘尼s, Bǐ qiū nís, Bǐqiūnís, Biqiunis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Taisho: Chinese Buddhist Canon
Chapter 127: The Bhikshunis' Inquiry about Her Past Life < [Part 190 - The Abhinishkramana-sutra]
Sutta 1: The Nirvana of Mahaprajapati Gautami < [Part 125 - Ekottara-Agama (Numbered Discourses)]
Part 144 - Discourse on the Nirvana of Mahaprajapati < [Agama Section (Volume 1-2)]
Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies
A Virtuoso Nun in the North < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 3.2 (2020)]
Mahāsāṃghika and Mahāyāna < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 2.1 (2019)]
Faxian and the Construction of the Buddha’s Shadow Platform at Mount Lu < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 2.1 (2019)]
Bhesajjakkhandhaka (Chapter on Medicine) (by Hin-tak Sik)
(b) The Skandhaka < [Chapter 2 - Background Information]
Forgotten Nunneries < [Volume 16, Issue 2 (2025)]
Four Chinese Buddhist Nuns’ Gender Anxiety in Their Colophons to the Da... < [Volume 14, Issue 4 (2023)]
The Miraculous Narratives in The Biographies of Eminent Nuns and The Further... < [Volume 14, Issue 5 (2023)]
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva (Sutra of the Great Vow)
Chapter 2 - The Division Bodies Gather < [Scroll 1]
Buddhacarita (by Charles Willemen)