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 paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ vuṭṭhāpenti.At that time the nuns were giving the full admission to unmarried women who were more than twenty years old, but who had not trained for two years in the six rules.1.3PTS 4.328Tā bālā honti abyattā;They were ignorant and incompetent,1.4na jānanti kappiyaṁ vā akappiyaṁ vā.and they did not know what was allowable and what was not.

1.5Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,1.6“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ vuṭṭhāpessantī”ti …pe…“How can nuns give the full admission to unmarried women who are more than twenty years old, but who haven’t trained for two years in the six rules?” …1.7“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ 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 paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ vuṭṭhāpessanti.“How can nuns do this?1.11Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …”1.12vigarahitvā …pe…After rebuking them …1.13dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—he gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

1.14“anujānāmi, bhikkhave, aṭṭhārasavassāya kumāribhūtāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ dātuṁ.“Monks, approval is required for an unmarried woman who is eighteen years old to train for two years in the six rules.

1.15Evañca pana, bhikkhave, dātabbā.And the approval is to be given like this.

1.16Tāya aṭṭhārasavassāya kumāribhūtāya saṅghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā bhikkhunīnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo—After approaching the Sangha of nuns, that unmarried woman who is eighteen years old should arrange her upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the nuns. She should then squat on her heels, raise her joined palms, and say:

1.18Dutiyampi yācitabbā.And she should ask a second1.19Tatiyampi yācitabbā.and a third time.

1.20Byattāya bhikkhuniyā paṭibalāya saṅgho ñāpetabbo—A competent and capable nun should then inform the Sangha:

1.32Sā aṭṭhārasavassā kumāribhūtā evaṁ vadehīti vattabbā—That unmarried woman who is eighteen years old should be told to say this:1.33“pāṇātipātā veramaṇiṁ dve vassāni avītikkamma samādānaṁ samādiyāmi …pe…‘I undertake to abstain from killing living beings for two years without transgression. …1.34vikālabhojanā veramaṇiṁ dve vassāni avītikkamma samādānaṁ samādiyāmī”ti.I undertake to abstain from eating at the wrong time for two years without transgression.’”

1.35Atha kho bhagavā tā bhikkhuniyo anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā dubbharatāya …pe…Then, after rebuking those nuns in many ways, the Buddha spoke in dispraise of being difficult to support …1.36evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: