0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
0.2BhikkhunivibhaṅgaThe Nuns’ Analysis
0.3PācittiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing confession
0.4KumāribhūtavaggaThe subchapter on unmarried women

0.571. KumāribhūtasikkhāpadaOrdaining an unmarried woman under twenty

1.0Origin story

1.1Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.1.2Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo ūnavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ vuṭṭhāpenti.At that time the nuns were giving the full admission to unmarried women less than twenty years old.1.3Tā akkhamā honti sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ.They were unable to endure cold and heat; hunger and thirst; contact with horseflies, mosquitoes, wind, the burning sun, and creeping animals and insects; rude and unwelcome speech;1.4Uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ anadhivāsakajātikā honti.and they were unable to bear up with bodily feelings that are painful, severe, sharp, and destructive of life.

1.5Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,1.6“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo ūnavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ vuṭṭhāpessantī”ti …pe…“How can nuns give the full admission to unmarried women less than twenty years old?” …1.7“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo ūnavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ vuṭṭhāpentī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?”

1.8“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”

1.9Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.10kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo ūnavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ vuṭṭhāpessanti.“How can nuns do this?1.11Ūnavīsativassā, bhikkhave, kumāribhūtā akkhamā hoti sītassa uṇhassa …pe…An unmarried woman less than twenty years old is unable to endure cold and heat; hunger and thirst; contact with horseflies, mosquitoes, wind, the burning sun, and creeping animals and insects; rude and unwelcome speech;1.12pāṇaharānaṁ anadhivāsakajātikā hoti.and she’s unable to bear up with bodily feelings that are painful, severe, sharp, and destructive of life.1.13Vīsativassāva kho, bhikkhave, kumāribhūtā khamā hoti sītassa uṇhassa …pe…But an unmarried woman who is twenty years old is able to endure these things.1.14pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātikā hoti.1.15Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.16evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

1.17.0Final ruling

1.17.1“Yā pana bhikkhunī ūnavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ vuṭṭhāpeyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a nun gives the full admission to an unmarried woman who is less than twenty years old, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

2.0Definitions

2.1Yā panātiA:: 2.2yā yādisā …pe…whoever …
2.3bhikkhunītiNun:: 2.4…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.
2.5Ūnavīsativassā nāmaWho is less than twenty years old:: 2.6appattavīsativassā.who has not reached twenty years of age.
2.7Kumāribhūtā nāmaAn unmarried woman:: 2.8sāmaṇerī vuccati.a novice nun is what is meant.
2.9VuṭṭhāpeyyātiGives the full admission:: 2.10upasampādeyya.gives the full ordination.2.11“Vuṭṭhāpessāmī”ti gaṇaṁ vā ācariniṁ vā pattaṁ vā cīvaraṁ vā pariyesati, sīmaṁ vā sammannati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If, intending to give the full admission, 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.2.12Ñattiyā dukkaṭaṁ.After the motion, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.¹2.13Dvīhi kammavācāhi dukkaṭā.After each of the first two announcements, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.14Kammavācāpariyosāne upajjhāyāya āpatti pācittiyassa.When the last announcement is finished, the preceptor commits an offense entailing confession,2.15Gaṇassa ca ācariniyā ca āpatti dukkaṭassa.and the group and the teacher commit an offense of wrong conduct.

2.16.0Permutations

2.16.1Ūnavīsativassāya ūnavīsativassasaññā vuṭṭhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.If the girl is less than twenty years old, and the nun perceives her as less, yet she gives her the full admission, she commits an offense entailing confession.2.17Ūnavīsativassāya vematikā vuṭṭhāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If the girl is less than twenty years old, but the nun is unsure of it, yet she gives her the full admission, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.18Ūnavīsativassāya paripuṇṇasaññā vuṭṭhāpeti, anāpatti.If the girl is less than twenty years old, but the nun perceives her as more, and she gives her the full admission, there is no offense.

2.19Paripuṇṇavīsativassāya ūnavīsativassasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If the girl is more than twenty years old, but the nun perceives her as less, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.20Paripuṇṇavīsativassāya vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If the girl is more than twenty years old, but the nun is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.21Paripuṇṇavīsativassāya paripuṇṇasaññā, anāpatti.If the girl is more than twenty years old, and the nun perceives her as more, there is no offense.

2.22.0Non-offenses

2.22.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.23ūnavīsativassaṁ paripuṇṇasaññā vuṭṭhāpeti,if she gives the full admission to a girl less than twenty years old, but she perceives her as more; 2.24paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ paripuṇṇasaññā vuṭṭhāpeti,if she gives the full admission to a girl more than twenty years old, and she perceives her as more; 2.25ummattikāya,if she is insane; 2.26ādikammikāyāti.if she is the first offender.

2.27Paṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.The first training rule is finished.

71. Ordaining an unmarried woman under twenty