51 (1) Gotamī1727
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Park.1728 Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, stood to one side, and said to him:
“Bhante, it would be good if women could obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”1729
“Enough, Gotamī! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
A second time … A third time Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī said to the Blessed One: “Bhante, it would be good if women could obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
“Enough, Gotamī! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”1730
Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, thinking: “The Blessed One does not allow the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness,” miserable and saddened, wept with a tearful face. She then paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping the right side toward him, and departed.
Having stayed in Kapilavatthu as long as he wanted, the Blessed One set out on tour toward Vesālī. Wandering on tour, he eventually arrived at Vesālī, where he dwelled in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood.
Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī had her hair cut off, put on ochre robes, and together with a number of Sakyan women,1731 [275] set out toward Vesālī. Eventually, she reached Vesālī and [went to] the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood. Then, with her feet swollen and her body covered with dust, miserable and saddened, weeping with a tearful face, she stood outside the entrance. The Venerable Ānanda saw her standing there in such a condition and said to her:
“Gotamī, why are you standing outside the entrance with your feet swollen and your body covered with dust, miserable and saddened, weeping with a tearful face?”
“I do so, Bhante Ānanda, because the Blessed One does not allow the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness.”
“Well then, Gotamī, you wait right here [a moment]1732 while I ask the Blessed One to grant women the going forth.”
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Bhante, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī is standing outside the entrance with her feet swollen and her body covered with dust, miserable and saddened, weeping with a tearful face, because the Blessed One does not allow the going forth of women. Bhante, it would be good if women could obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
“Enough, Ānanda! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
A second time … A third time the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “Bhante, it would be good if women could obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
“Enough, Ānanda! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.” [276]
Then it occurred to the Venerable Ānanda: “The Blessed One does not allow the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness. Let me ask the Blessed One for the going forth of women in some other way.”
Then the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “Bhante, if a woman were to go forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, would it be possible for her to realize the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, and the fruit of arahantship?”
“It would be, Ānanda.
“If, Bhante, it would be possible for a woman to realize the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, and the fruit of arahantship, [and considering that] Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī had been very helpful to the Blessed One—having been his maternal aunt, wet-nurse, and foster mother who nurtured him with breast milk when his mother died—it would be good if women could obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
“If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī accepts eight principles of respect,1733 let that itself be her full ordination.1734
(1) “A bhikkhunī who has been ordained for a hundred years should pay homage to a bhikkhu who has been ordained that same day, should rise up for him, reverentially salute him, and behave courteously toward him. This principle should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.1735
(2) “A bhikkhunī should not enter upon the rains in a place where there are no bhikkhus.1736 This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(3) “Every half-month a bhikkhunī should ask the Saṅgha of bhikkhus about two things: about [the day] of the uposatha, and about coming for the exhortation.1737 [277] This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(4) “When a bhikkhunī has observed the rains, she should invite correction before both Saṅghas in regard to three things: in regard to anything seen, heard, or suspected.1738 This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(5) “A bhikkhunī who has committed a grave offense should observe a half-month’s penalty period before both Saṅghas.1739 This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(6) “A probationer who has completed two years of training in the six principles should seek full ordination from both Saṅghas.1740 This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(7) “A bhikkhunī must in no way insult or revile a bhikkhu. This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(8) “From today on, Ānanda, bhikkhunīs are prohibited from admonishing bhikkhus, but bhikkhus are not prohibited from admonishing bhikkhunīs. This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
“If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī accepts these eight principles of respect, let that itself be her full ordination.”1741
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having learned these eight principles of respect from the Blessed One, went to Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī and said to her:
“If, Gotamī, you accept eight principles of respect, that itself will be your full ordination:
(1) “A bhikkhunī who has been ordained for a hundred years should pay homage to a bhikkhu who has been ordained that same day, should rise up for him, reverentially salute him, and behave properly toward him. This principle should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts….
(8) “From today bhikkhunīs are prohibited from admonishing bhikkhus, [278] but bhikkhus are not prohibited from admonishing bhikkhunīs. This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
“If, Gotamī, you accept these eight principles of respect, that itself will be your full ordination.”
“Bhante Ānanda, if a woman or a man—young, youthful, and fond of ornaments, with head bathed—obtains a garland of blue lotuses, jasmine flowers, or lilies,1742 she or he would accept it with both hands and place it on top of her or his head. In the same way, I accept these eight principles of respect as not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.”
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said: “Bhante, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī has accepted the eight principles of respect as things not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.”
“If, Ānanda, women had not obtained the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, the spiritual life would have been of long duration; the good Dhamma would have stood firm even for a thousand years. However, Ānanda, because women have gone forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, now the spiritual life will not be of long duration; the good Dhamma will last only five hundred years.1743
“Just as, Ānanda, prowling burglars1744 easily assail those families that have many women and few men, so in whatever Dhamma and discipline women obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness, that spiritual life does not last long.
“Just as, Ānanda, when a field of hill rice has ripened, [279] if the bleaching disease attacks it,1745 that field of hill rice does not last long, so in whatever Dhamma and discipline women obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness, that spiritual life does not last long.
“Just as, Ānanda, when a field of sugar cane has ripened, if the rusting disease attacks it,1746 that field of sugar cane does not last long, so in whatever Dhamma and discipline women obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness, that spiritual life does not last long.
“Just as, Ānanda, a man might build a dyke around a large reservoir as a precaution so that the water would not overflow, so too, as a precaution I have prescribed for bhikkhunīs the eight principles of respect as things not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.”1747
52 (2) Exhortation
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Bhante, how many qualities should a bhikkhu possess to be agreed upon as an exhorter of bhikkhunīs?”1748
“Ānanda, a bhikkhu should possess eight qualities to be agreed upon as an exhorter of bhikkhunīs. What eight?
(1) “Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu is virtuous…. [as in 8:2 §4] … Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them.
(2) “He has learned much … [as in 8:2 §5] … and penetrated well by view.
(3) “Both Pātimokkhas have been well transmitted to him in detail, well analyzed, well mastered, well determined in terms of the rules and their detailed explication.
(4) “He is a good speaker with a good delivery; he is gifted with speech that is polished, clear, articulate, expressive of the meaning.
(5) “He is capable [280] of instructing, encouraging, inspiring, and gladdening the Saṅgha of bhikkhunīs with a Dhamma talk.
(6) “He is pleasing and agreeable to most of the bhikkhunīs.
(7) “He has never before committed a grave offense against a woman wearing the ochre robe who has gone forth under the Blessed One.
(8) “He has seniority of twenty years or more.
“A bhikkhu should possess these eight qualities to be agreed upon as an exhorter of bhikkhunīs.”
53 (3) Brief1749
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood. Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, stood to one side, and said to him: “Bhante, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, heedful, ardent, and resolute.”
“Gotamī, those things of which you might know: ‘These things lead (1) to passion, not to dispassion; (2) to bondage, not to detachment; (3) to building up, not to dismantling; (4) to strong desires, not to fewness of desires; (5) to non-contentment, not to contentment; (6) to company, not to solitude; (7) to laziness, not to the arousing of energy; (8) to being difficult to support, not to being easy to support,’ you should definitely recognize: ‘This is not the Dhamma; this is not the discipline; this is not the teaching of the Teacher.’ But, Gotamī, those things of which you might know: ‘These things lead (1) to dispassion, not to passion; (2) to detachment, not to bondage; (3) to dismantling, not to building up; (4) to fewness of desires, not to strong desires; (5) to contentment, not to non-contentment; (6) to solitude, not [281] to company; (7) to the arousing of energy, not to laziness; (8) to being easy to support, not to being difficult to support,’ you should definitely recognize: ‘This is the Dhamma; this is the discipline; this is the teaching of the Teacher.’”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Koliyans near the Koliyan town named Kakkarapatta. There the young Koliyan Dīghajāṇu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Bhante, we are laymen enjoying sensual pleasures, living at home in a house full of children. We use sandalwood from Kāsi; we wear garlands, scents, and unguents; we receive gold and silver. Let the Blessed One teach us the Dhamma in a way that will lead to our welfare and happiness in this present life and in future lives.”
“There are, Byagghapajja,1750 these four things that lead to the welfare and happiness of a clansman in this present life. What four? Accomplishment in initiative, accomplishment in protection, good friendship, and balanced living.
(1) “And what is accomplishment in initiative? Here, whatever may be the means by which a clansman earns his living—whether by farming, trade, raising cattle, archery, government service, or some other craft—he is skillful and diligent; he possesses sound judgment about it in order to carry out and arrange it properly. This is called accomplishment in initiative.
(2) “And what is accomplishment in protection? Here, a clansman sets up protection and guard over the wealth he has [282] acquired by initiative and energy, amassed by the strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous wealth righteously gained, thinking: ‘How can I prevent kings and thieves from taking it, fire from burning it, floods from sweeping it off, and displeasing heirs from taking it?’ This is called accomplishment in protection.
(3) “And what is good friendship? Here, in whatever village or town a clansman lives, he associates with householders or their sons—whether young but of mature virtue, or old and of mature virtue—who are accomplished in faith, virtuous behavior, generosity, and wisdom; he converses with them and engages in discussions with them. Insofar as they are accomplished in faith, he emulates them with respect to their accomplishment in faith; insofar as they are accomplished in virtuous behavior, he emulates them with respect to their accomplishment in virtuous behavior; insofar as they are accomplished in generosity, he emulates them with respect to their accomplishment in generosity; insofar as they are accomplished in wisdom, he emulates them with respect to their accomplishment in wisdom. This is called good friendship.
(4) “And what is balanced living? Here, a clansman knows his income and expenditures and leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too frugal, [aware]: ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditures rather than the reverse.’ Just as an appraiser or his apprentice, holding up a scale, knows: ‘By so much it has dipped down, by so much it has gone up,’ so a clansman knows his income and expenditures and leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too frugal, [aware]: ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditures [283] rather than the reverse.’
“If this clansman has a small income but lives luxuriously, others would say of him: ‘This clansman eats his wealth just like an eater of figs.’1751 But if he has a large income but lives sparingly, others would say of him: ‘This clansman may even starve himself.’1752 But it is called balanced living when a clansman knows his income and expenditures and leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too frugal, [aware]: ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditures rather than the reverse.’
“The wealth thus amassed has four sources of dissipation: womanizing, drunkenness, gambling, and bad friendship, bad companionship, bad comradeship. Just as if there were a large reservoir with four inlets and four outlets, and a man would close the inlets and open the outlets, and sufficient rain does not fall, one could expect the water in the reservoir to decrease rather than increase; so the wealth thus amassed has four sources of dissipation: womanizing … bad comradeship.
“The wealth thus amassed has four sources of accretion: one avoids womanizing, drunkenness, and [284] gambling, and cultivates good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship. Just as if there were a large reservoir with four inlets and four outlets, and a man would open the inlets and close the outlets, and sufficient rain falls; one could expect the water in the reservoir to increase rather than decrease, so the wealth amassed has four sources of accretion: one avoids womanizing … and cultivates good friendship.
“These are the four things that lead to the welfare and happiness of a clansman in this very life.
“There are, Byagghapajja, these four [other] things that lead to a clansman’s welfare and happiness in future lives. What four? Accomplishment in faith, accomplishment in virtuous behavior, accomplishment in generosity, and accomplishment in wisdom.
(5) “And what is accomplishment in faith? Here, a clansman is endowed with faith. He places faith in the enlightenment of the Tathāgata thus: ‘The Blessed One is an arahant … teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.’ This is called accomplishment in faith.
(6) “And what is accomplishment in virtuous behavior? Here, a clansman abstains from the destruction of life, from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, and from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness. This is called accomplishment in virtuous behavior.
(7) “And what is accomplishment in generosity? Here, a clansman dwells at home with a heart devoid of the stain of miserliness, freely generous, openhanded, delighting in relinquishment, one devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing. This is called accomplishment in generosity.
(8) “And what is accomplishment in wisdom? [285] Here, a clansman is wise; he possesses the wisdom that discerns arising and passing away, which is noble and penetrative and leads to the complete destruction of suffering. This is called accomplishment in wisdom.
“These are the four [other] things that lead to the welfare and happiness of a clansman in future lives.”
Enterprising in his occupations,
heedful in his arrangements,
balanced in his way of living,
he safeguards the wealth he earns.
Endowed with faith, accomplished in virtue,
charitable and devoid of miserliness,
he constantly purifies the path
that leads to safety in future lives.
Thus these eight qualities
of the faithful seeker of the household life
are said by the one who is truly named1753
to lead to happiness in both states:
to good and welfare in this very life,
and to happiness in future lives.
Thus for those dwelling at home,
their generosity and merit increase.
55 (5) Ujjaya
Then the brahmin Ujjaya approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Blessed One:
“Master Gotama, I wish to go abroad. Let Master Gotama teach me the Dhamma about things that would lead to my welfare and happiness in this present life and in future lives.”
[What follows is identical with 8:54, inclusive of the four verses, but addressed to the brahmin.] [286–89]
56 (6) Peril1754
“Bhikkhus, (1) ‘peril’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (2) ‘Suffering’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (3) ‘Disease’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (4) ‘A boil’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (5) ‘A dart’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (6) ‘A tie’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (7) ‘A swamp’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (8) ‘A womb’ is a designation for sensual pleasures.
“And why, bhikkhus, is ‘peril’ a designation for sensual pleasures? One excited by sensual lust, bound by desire and lust, is not freed from the peril pertaining to this present life [290] or from the peril pertaining to future lives; therefore ‘peril’ is a designation for sensual pleasures.
“And why is ‘suffering’ … ‘disease’ … ‘a boil’ … ‘a dart’ … ‘a tie’ … ‘a swamp’ … ‘a womb’ a designation for sensual pleasures? One excited by sensual lust, bound by desire and lust, is not freed from the womb pertaining to this present life or from the womb pertaining to future lives;1755 therefore ‘a womb’ is a designation for sensual pleasures.”
Peril, suffering, and disease,
a boil, a dart, and a tie,
a swamp and a womb:
these describe the sensual pleasures
to which the worldling is attached.
Being immersed in what is enjoyable,
he again goes to the womb.
But when a bhikkhu is ardent
and does not neglect clear comprehension,
in such a way he transcends
this miserable bog;
he surveys this trembling population
that has fallen into birth and old age.
57 (7) Worthy of Offerings (1)
“Bhikkhus, possessing eight qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What eight?
(1) “Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous…. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them.
(2) “He has learned much … and penetrated well by view.
(3) “He has good friends, good companions, good comrades.
(4) “He is one of right view, [291] possessing a right perspective.
(5) “He gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are dwellings in happiness in this very life.
(6) “He recollects his manifold past abodes, that is, one birth, two births … [as in 8:11] … thus he recollects his manifold past abodes with their aspects and details.
(7) “With the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human … [as in 8:11] … he understands how beings fare in accordance with their kamma.
(8) “With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it.
“Possessing these eight qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts,
58 (8) Worthy of Offerings (2)
“Bhikkhus, possessing eight qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What eight?
(1) “Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous…. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them.
(2) “He has learned much … and penetrated well by view.
(3) “He has aroused energy;1756 he is strong, firm in exertion, and has not cast off the duty of cultivating wholesome qualities.
(4) “He is a forest dweller, one who resorts to remote lodgings.
(5) “He has vanquished discontent and delight; he overcame discontent whenever it arose.
(6) “He has vanquished fear and terror; he overcame fear and terror whenever they arose. [292]
(7) “He gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are dwellings in happiness in this very life.
(8) “With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it.
“Possessing these eight qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
59 (9) Eight Persons (1)
“Bhikkhus, these eight persons are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What eight? The stream-enterer, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of stream-entry; the once-returner, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of once-returning; the non-returner, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of non-returning; the arahant, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of arahantship.1757 These eight persons, bhikkhus, are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
The four practicing the way1758
and the four established in the fruit:
this is the upright Saṅgha—
composed in wisdom and virtuous behavior.1759
For people intent on sacrifice,
for living beings seeking merit,
making merit that ripens in the acquisitions,1760
what is given to the Saṅgha bears great fruit.
60 (10) Eight Persons (2)
“Bhikkhus, these eight persons are worthy of gifts … an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What eight? [293] The stream-enterer, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of stream-entry … the arahant, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of arahantship. These eight persons, bhikkhus, are worthy of gifts … an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
The four practicing the way
and the four established in the fruit:
the eight persons among beings—
this is the foremost Saṅgha.
For people intent on sacrifice,
for living beings seeking merit,
making merit that ripens in the acquisitions,
what is given here bears great fruit.
1727 This sutta, the canonical account of the founding of the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha, has been the subject of extensive scholarly investigations. The narrative also occurs at Vin II 253–56. Several recent studies on the sutta, from a critical perspective, are in Mohr and Tsedroen 2010. Particularly instructive in this collection is Ute Hüsken, “The Eight Garudhammas,” and Anālayo, “Women’s Renunciation in Early Buddhism: The Four Assemblies and the Foundation of the Order of Nuns,” which treats the chronological problem at pp. 86–90.
1728 The chronology is unclear to me. Mp says that at the time this sutta begins the Buddha was living among the Sakyans during his first return journey to Kapilavatthu (paṭhamagamanena gantvā viharati). Yet, given that Mahāpajāpatī could go forth only after the death of her husband, the Buddha’s father Suddhodana, and that it seems improbable Suddhodana died during the Buddha’s first return visit to Kapilavatthu, which took place soon after his enlightenment, this fact is hardly credible. It would also lead to an odd anachronism. The Cūḷavagga reports that Ānanda and other prominent Sakyans became monks after the Buddha’s first journey to Kapilavatthu (Vin II 182–83). Ānanda became the Buddha’s attendant twenty years after the enlightenment, when the Buddha was fifty-five, and served the Buddha in this capacity for twenty-five years, right up until the end of his master’s life (Th 1041–43). In this sutta, however, Ānanda is depicted as the Buddha’s attendant before the founding of the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha. Whether this event occurred shortly after the Buddha’s first return trip to Kapilavatthu, or even five or ten years later, it would still be too early for Ānanda to be serving as his attendant. Thus, unless Ānanda was not actually the Buddha’s attendant at the time, there seems to be a chronological tension between the situation depicted in the sutta and the likely period when women first obtained ordination.
1729 I summarize the sequence of events from Mp. When the Buddha returned to Kapilavatthu, he gave the going forth to Nanda and Rāhula and later resolved a conflict between the Sakyans and their neighbors, the Koliyans (the Buddha’s relatives on his mother’s side). Following this, 250 young men from each side left the home life under the Buddha. After a while, they began to pine for their wives. The Buddha brought them to the Kuṇāla Lake, where he taught them the Kuṇāla Jātaka on the wiles and deceitfulness of women. On hearing this, the five hundred young monks attained stream-entry and shortly afterward became arahants. Their wives sent them messages entreating them to return home, but they replied that they were now incapable of living the household life. The women therefore went to Mahāpajāpatī and asked her to request the Buddha, her stepson, to allow women to go forth. Mahāpajāpatī took the women under her wing, went to the Buddha, and made this request.
1730 Mp: “Why does he refuse her? Isn’t it the case that all Buddhas have four assemblies? This is true, but he refuses her with the thought that if women are given permission to go forth only after they have made repeated efforts, they will maintain their ordination and revere it, recollecting how difficult it was to obtain the going forth.”
1731 These were the five hundred Sakyan women whose husbands had gone forth and attained arahantship. In a personal communication, Pruitt writes: “There’s no indication of how much time elapsed between the Buddha’s departure and what follows here. In Thī-a 3, [the commentator] Dhammapāla says, ‘He had the young Nanda and the young Rāhula go forth and then the Teacher returned again to Rājagaha. On a later occasion, when the Teacher was living in the Kūṭāgāra Hall near Vesālī, the great King Suddhodana attained final quenching [nibbāna], having realized arahantship even while he was still [reigning] under the white parasol. The inclination to go forth arose in Mahā-Pajāpatī’ (Pruitt 1998: 6–7). This is also given at Thī-a 141 (Pruitt 1998: 181). King Suddhodana is the only layman I know of who became an arahant and remained a layman, which means he could not have lived more that seven days after becoming an arahant.”
1732 Be has muhuttaṃ, not in Ce or Ee.
1733 Aṭṭha garudhamme. The term garudhamma is ambiguous. The word garu normally means “heavy, weighty, grave,” as for example in the expression garukā āpatti, a grave or major offense. But garuṃ karoti, lit., “to make weighty,” means “to respect,” and garukata, “respected.” Thus garudhamma can mean either a “heavy, grave rule” or “a rule to be respected, a principle of respect.” Mp endorses the second interpretation: “The garudhammas are principles that are to be treated with respect by the bhikkhunīs who accept them.” The translators of the Vinaya into Chinese also lean toward this interpretation. Thus in the corresponding passage in the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya (at T XXIII 345b29–c33) they are referred to as 
, “eight principles of respect.” The Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya (for instance at T XXIV 350c29) calls them 
, “eight principles of honor and respect.” But the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya (at T XXII 923a27 and elsewhere) designates them 
“eight principles not to be transgressed throughout life,” which corresponds to the Pāli yāvajīvaṃ anatikkamanīyo. And the Mahīśasaka Vinaya (at T XXII 185c19) likewise calls them 
, “eight principles not to be violated.”
1734 It is interesting to note how the subject of the discussion shifts almost imperceptibly from the going forth (pabbajjā) of women to their full ordination (upasampadā). The former refers simply to their leaving the household life, the latter to a formal act of admission into the Saṅgha.
1735 Mahāpajāpatī later asked the Buddha to permit bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs to pay homage to one another (and show other signs of respect) exclusively on the basis of seniority, without distinction of gender. The Buddha refused and issued a rule: “Bhikkhus should not pay homage to women, stand up for them, salute them reverentially, or behave respectfully toward them. One who does so commits an offense of wrong doing” (na bhikkhave mātugāmassa abhivādanaṃ paccuṭṭhānaṃ añjalikammaṃ sāmīcikammaṃ kātabbaṃ; yo kareyya āpatti dukkaṭassa). The incident is at Vin II 257–58.
1736 This refers to the three months’ fixed residence during the rainy season.
1737 Thus on the uposatha day a bhikkhu is assigned the task of giving the bhikkhunīs an exhortation (ovāda). See Ṭhānissaro 2007b: 446–47.
1738 The “invitation” (pavāraṇā) is a ceremony held on the last day of the rains residence at which all the Saṅgha members in order of seniority ask the others to point out any fault they may have committed, whether seen, heard about, or suspected. Each bhikkhu extends the invitation to all the other bhikkhus. By this rule, however, bhikkhunīs are obliged to invite correction from both the bhikkhus and the other bhikkhunīs. See Ṭhānissaro 2007b: 447–48.
1739 The penalty period (mānatta) is imposed on a monastic guilty of a saṅghādisesa offense. During this period, the offending bhikkhu must undergo penalization for a period of six days; each day he must also inform all his fellow bhikkhus of his transgression, a humiliating experience. In the case of bhikkhunīs, however, the penalty period lasts two weeks and must be observed in relation to both bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. For details, see Ṭhānissaro 2007b: 358–73. In this rule, the word garudhamma has a different meaning from its use in relation to the eight principles as a set. Here, Mp glosses it as garukaṃ saṅghādisesāpattiṃ, that is, it is the breach of a saṅghādisesa rule. Hüskin (in Mohr and Tsedroen 2010, p. 144) conflates the two senses of the term and thus sees an inconsistency here where there is really none.
1740 A probationer (sikkhamānā) is a woman candidate for full ordination who has already gone forth. To complete the requirements for ordination, she is obliged to live for two years observing a special training in regard to six rules (cha dhammā). The six rules—specified at Vin IV 319,24–29 in connection with Bhikkhunī Pācittiya 63—involve observing without transgression the precepts of abstinence from killing any living being, taking what is not given, sexual activity, false speech, intoxicants, and eating at an improper time (between midday and the following daybreak). Breach of any of these rules presumably requires the candidate to revert to the beginning of her two years’ training.
1741 In the Vibhaṅga section of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the rules of the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha are shown to have been laid down in response to specific incidents of misbehavior on the part of a certain bhikkhunī (or group of bhikkhunīs). Several of these rules are already included among the garudhammas. Thus garudhammas 2, 3, 4, and 7 correspond to Bhikkhunī Pācittiyas 56, 59, 57, and 52. Garudhamma 6 has counterparts in Bhikkhunī Pācittiyas 63 and 64. The fact that the background stories to these rules show them originating at different points in the early history of the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha casts doubt on the historicity of the present account, which shows the eight garudhammas being laid down at the very beginning of the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha. If the eight garudhammas had been laid down at the birth of the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha, they would have already been in force and there would have been no need for the Buddha to issue rules to prohibit the same undesirable behavior. He could simply have pointed to the existing rule. The fact that he did issue new rules thus collides with the thesis that the eight garudhammas were laid down at the very start of the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha.
1742 For atimuttaka, DOP gives “a kind of shrub (perhaps Ougeinia oojeinensis); its flower.” Rather than use an obscure Pāli or Latin term, I freely render the name of the flower as “lilies.”
1743 Assuming the historical authenticity of this passage, if the Buddha had wished to proscribe the ordination of women, it seems he would likely have pointed out this danger to Ānanda at the beginning of their conversation. Ānanda would then have desisted from his effort and women would not have received the right to ordain.
1744 Corehi kumbhatthenakehi. Lit, “bandits who commit pot theft.” Mp: “They make a lamp with a pot and by means of its light search for valuable goods in others’ homes.”
1745 Setaṭṭhikā rogajāti nipatati. Mp: “A kind of insect pierces the stalk and enters the middle of the reed. When the stalk is pierced, the sap comes out and cannot reach the top of the paddy plant.”
1746 Mañjiṭṭhikā rogajāti nipatati. Mp: “The internal reddening of the sugar cane.”
1747 Mp (Ce): “By this he shows the following: ‘When a causeway is not built around a large reservoir, whatever water would have remained there if the causeway had first been built does not remain because there is no causeway. So too, these principles of respect have been prescribed in advance, before an incident has arisen, for the purpose of preventing transgression. If they had not been prescribed, then, because women have gone forth, the good Dhamma would have lasted five hundred years. But because they have been laid down in advance, it will continue another five hundred years and thus last for the thousand years originally stated.’ And this expression ‘a thousand years’ is said with reference to arahants who have attained the analytic knowledges (paṭisambhidāpabhedappattakhīṇāsavānaṃ vasen’eva vuttaṃ). Following this, for another thousand years, there appear dry-insight arahants; for another thousand years, non-returners; for another thousand years, once-returners; and for another thousand years, stream-enterers. Thus the good Dhamma of penetration (paṭivedhasaddhammo) will last five thousand years. The Dhamma of learning (pariyattidhammo) will also last this long. For without learning, there is no penetration, and as long as there is learning, there is penetration.” From the above, we can see that according to the commentary, the allowance for women to go forth will not shorten the life span of the Dhamma; this is because the Buddha laid down the eight principles of respect, which serve as the dyke or causeway.
1748 This is evidently referring to the third garudhamma. Another anachronism appears here, at least in relation to the commentarial chronology. The Bhikkhunī Saṅgha, on this chronology, was founded soon after the Buddha’s first visit to Kapilavatthu (or, on other chronologies, perhaps five or ten years after the enlightenment), yet it requires the bhikkhu who is to give the exhortation to have twenty years’ seniority. This, of course, would not have been possible until at least twenty years after the founding of the Bhikkhu Saṅgha. By that time, however, Mahāpajāpatī would likely have been too old to make the long journey to Vesālī by foot.
1749 Also at Vin II 258–59. The sutta mirrors 7:83.
1750 Though Ce spells the name “Vyagghapajja,” I use this spelling to be consistent with the spelling of the name at 4:194. This must have been his clan name, Dīghajāṇu his personal name.
1751 Ce and Ee udumbarakhādikaṃ va; Be udumbarakhādīvāyaṃ. The intended meaning is obscure. Mp explains: “One wishing to eat figs might shake a ripe fig tree and with one effort knock down many fruits. He would eat the ripe fruits and depart, leaving behind the rest; just so, one who spends the greater part of his earnings enjoys his wealth by dissipating it, so it is said: ‘This clansman eats his wealth just like an eater of figs.’” A Chinese parallel, SĀ 91 (T II 23a22–c17), reads at T II 23b17: 
; “Everyone calls him a fig without seeds. The foolish man, a prey to craving, does not consider those who come after.”
1752 Ce and Ee ajaddhumārikaṃ; Be ajeṭṭhamaraṇaṃ. DOP relates the compound to Skt jagdhvā, “having eaten,” and defines ajaddhumārikā as “death by starvation.” See PED sv jaddhu, said to occur only as negative ajaddhu, “not eating, abstaining from food.” Mp (Ce) glosses with anāthamaraṇaṃ, “death without a protector,” Mp (Be) anāyakamaraṇaṃ,“death without a leader.”It seems Mp (Ce) is glossing the reading found in Be. The Chinese at T II 23b19–20 has 
, “Other people will all say that foolish man is like a dog starving to death.”
1753 Akkhātā saccanāmena. The one “truly named” is the Buddha, since the name “Buddha” corresponds to his real stature as an enlightened one. See too p. 1757, note 1320.
1754 An expanded parallel of 6:23. The additional designations for sensual pleasures are “dart” (salla) and “womb” (gabbha). The verses differ from those at 6:23. The whole sutta, with verses, is cited at Nidd II 62,29–38 (VRI ed. 240).
1755 Diṭṭhadhammikāpi gabbhā na parimuccati, samparāyikāpi gabbhā na parimuccati. Mp: “The womb pertaining to the present life is a human womb; the womb pertaining to future lives is a womb other than the human.”
1756 The usual phrase, “for the abandoning of unwholesome qualities and for the acquisition of wholesome qualities,” is omitted, perhaps deliberately because this bhikkhu is an arahant.
1757 Text here has arahattaphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, whereas 8:19 has arahattāya paṭipanno.
1758 The verses are also at SN 11:16, I 233.
1759 Paññāsīlasamāhito. Mp glosses: paññāya ca sīlena ca samannāgato. Though this takes samāhito to mean “possessing” rather than attainment of samādhi, by translating it as “composed” we can see how the word indirectly refers to samādhi.
1760 Karotaṃ opadhikaṃ puññaṃ. The word opadhikaṃ means that the merit ripens in upadhi, a future acquisition of the five aggregates, and that the deed conduces to well-being in the round of rebirths rather than to liberation.