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Theravāda Vinaya Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law
Bhikkhunivibhaṅga The Nuns’ Analysis
Pācittiyakaṇḍa The chapter on offenses entailing confession
Kumāribhūtavagga The subchapter on unmarried women
83. Ekavassasikkhāpada Ordaining two in the same year
Origin story
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.
Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo ekaṁ vassaṁ dve vuṭṭhāpenti. At that time the nuns were giving the full admission to two women in the same year,
Upassayo tatheva na sammati. and the nunnery still did not have sufficient capacity.
Manussā tatheva ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—People complained and criticized them,
“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo ekaṁ vassaṁ dve vuṭṭhāpessanti. “How can the nuns give the full admission to two women in the same year,
Upassayo tatheva na sammatī”ti. when the nunnery still doesn’t have sufficient capacity?”
Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. The nuns heard the complaints of those people.
Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,
“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo ekaṁ vassaṁ dve vuṭṭhāpessantī”ti …pe… “How can nuns give the full admission to two women in the same year?” …
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo ekaṁ vassaṁ dve vuṭṭhāpentī”ti? “Is it true, monks, that the nuns do this?”
“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. “It’s true, sir.”
Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… The Buddha rebuked them …
kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo ekaṁ vassaṁ dve vuṭṭhāpessanti. “How can nuns do this?
Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… This will affect people’s confidence …” …
evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
Final ruling
“Yā pana bhikkhunī ekaṁ vassaṁ dve vuṭṭhāpeyya, pācittiyan”ti. ‘If a nun gives the full admission to two women in the same year, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”
Definitions
Yā panāti A:
yā yādisā …pe… whoever …
bhikkhunīti Nun:
…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti. … The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case.
Ekaṁ vassanti In the same year:
ekaṁ saṁvaccharaṁ. in one twelve-month period.
Dve vuṭṭhāpeyyāti Gives the full admission to two women:
dve upasampādeyya. gives the full ordination to two women.
“Dve vuṭṭhāpessāmī”ti gaṇaṁ vā ācariniṁ vā pattaṁ vā cīvaraṁ vā pariyesati, sīmaṁ vā sammannati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If, intending to give the full admission to two women, she searches for a group, a teacher, a bowl, or a robe, or she establishes a monastery zone, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Ñattiyā dukkaṭaṁ. After the motion, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. The Pali just says dukkaṭa, without specifying that it is an āpatti, “an offense”. Yet elsewhere, such as at Bu Ss 10:2.65, the dukkaṭa is annulled if you commit the full offense of saṅghādisesa. The implication is that in these contexts dukkaṭa should be read as āpatti dukkaṭassa, “an offense of wrong conduct”.
Dvīhi kammavācāhi dukkaṭā. After each of the first two announcements, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Kammavācāpariyosāne upajjhāyāya āpatti pācittiyassa. When the last announcement is finished, the preceptor commits an offense entailing confession,
Gaṇassa ca ācariniyā ca āpatti dukkaṭassa. and the group and the teacher commit an offense of wrong conduct.
Non-offenses
Anāpatti—There is no offense:
ekantarikaṁ ekaṁ vuṭṭhāpeti, if she gives the full admission to one woman every other year;
ummattikāya, if she is insane;
ādikammikāyāti. if she is the first offender.
Terasamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ. The thirteenth training rule is finished.
Kumāribhūtavaggo aṭṭhamo. The eighth subchapter on unmarried women is finished.