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78. Not ordaining a trainee who has followed one

Anubandha-sikkhamānana-vuṭṭhāpana

A nun who promises to ordain a trainee nun in return for being attended on for two years but then makes no effort to get her ordained must confess the offense.

Translated by Bhikkhu Brahmali · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

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

0.578. Dutiyasikkhamāna-navuṭṭhāpanasikkhāpadaNot ordaining a trainee who has followed one

1.0Origin story

1.1PTS 4.333Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,1.2Tena kho pana samayena aññatarā sikkhamānā thullanandaṁ bhikkhuniṁ upasaṅkamitvā upasampadaṁ yāci.a trainee nun went to the nun Thullanandā and asked for the full ordination.1.3Thullanandā bhikkhunī taṁ sikkhamānaṁ “sace maṁ tvaṁ, ayye, dve vassāni anubandhissasi evāhaṁ taṁ vuṭṭhāpessāmī”ti vatvā, neva vuṭṭhāpeti na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karoti.Thullanandā told her, “If you follow me for two years, venerable, I’ll give you the full admission.” But she neither gave her the full admission nor made any effort to have her fully admitted.

1.4Atha kho sā sikkhamānā bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi.That trainee nun told the nuns what had happened.1.5Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,1.6“kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā sikkhamānaṁ—“How could Venerable Thullanandā say that to a trainee nun1.7‘sace maṁ tvaṁ, ayye, dve vassāni anubandhissasi evāhaṁ taṁ vuṭṭhāpessāmī’ti vatvā, neva vuṭṭhāpessati na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karissatī”ti …pe…and then neither give her the full admission nor make any effort to have her fully admitted?” …1.8“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī sikkhamānaṁ—“Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā did this?”1.9‘sace maṁ tvaṁ, ayye, dve vassāni anubandhissasi evāhaṁ taṁ vuṭṭhāpessāmī’ti vatvā, neva vuṭṭhāpeti na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karotī”ti?

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

1.11Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked her …1.12kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī sikkhamānaṁ—“How could the nun Thullanandā act in this way?1.13‘sace maṁ tvaṁ, ayye, dve vassāni anubandhissasi evāhaṁ taṁ vuṭṭhāpessāmī’ti vatvā, neva vuṭṭhāpessati na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karissati.1.14Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.15evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

1.16.0Final ruling

1.16.1“Yā pana bhikkhunī sikkhamānaṁ— ‘sace maṁ tvaṁ, ayye, dve vassāni anubandhissasi evāhaṁ taṁ vuṭṭhāpessāmī’ti vatvā, sā pacchā anantarāyikinī neva vuṭṭhāpeyya na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ kareyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a nun tells a trainee nun, “If you follow me for two years, venerable, I’ll give you the full admission,” but she then neither gives her the full admission nor makes any effort to have her fully admitted, then, if there were no obstacles, 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.
2.5Sikkhamānā nāmaA trainee nun:
2.6dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhā.one who has trained for two years in the six rules.
2.7Sace maṁ tvaṁ, ayye, dve vassāni anubandhissasīti“If you follow me for two years, venerable”:
2.8dve saṁvaccharāni upaṭṭhahissasi.if you attend on me for two twelve-month periods.
2.9Evāhaṁ taṁ vuṭṭhāpessāmīti“I’ll give you the full admission”:
2.10evāhaṁ taṁ upasampādessāmi.I’ll give you the full ordination.
2.11Sā pacchā anantarāyikinītiThen, if there were no obstacles:
2.12asati antarāye.when there is no obstacle.
2.13Neva vuṭṭhāpeyyātiShe neither gives her the full admission:
2.14na sayaṁ vuṭṭhāpeyya.she does not herself give her the full admission.
2.15Na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ kareyyātiNor makes any effort to have her fully admitted:
2.16na aññaṁ āṇāpeyya.she does not ask anyone else to give her the full admission.

2.17“Neva vuṭṭhāpessāmi na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karissāmī”ti dhuraṁ nikkhittamatte āpatti pācittiyassa.If she thinks, “I’ll neither give her the full admission nor make any effort to have her fully admitted,” then by the mere fact of abandoning her duty, she commits an offense entailing confession.

2.18.0Non-offenses

2.18.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.19sati antarāye,if there is an obstacle; 2.20pariyesitvā na labhati,if she searches for someone to give her the full ordination, but is unable to find anyone; 2.21gilānāya,if she is sick; 2.22āpadāsu,if there is an emergency; 2.23ummattikāya,if she is insane; 2.24ādikammikāyāti.if she is the first offender.

2.25Aṭṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.The eighth training rule is finished.