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Theravāda Vinaya
Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law
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Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
The Nuns’ Analysis
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Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The chapter on offenses entailing confession
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Kumāribhūtavagga
The subchapter on unmarried girls
71. Kumāribhūtasikkhāpada
The training rule on unmarried girls
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 ūnavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ vuṭṭhāpenti.
At that time the nuns were giving the full admission to unmarried girls less than twenty years old.
Tā 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;
Uppannānaṁ 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.
Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,
“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo ūnavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ vuṭṭhāpessantī”ti …pe…
“How can nuns give the full admission to unmarried girls less than twelve years old?” …
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo ūnavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ vuṭṭhāpentī”ti?
“Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?”
“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
“It’s true, Sir.”
Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…
The Buddha rebuked them …
kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo ūnavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ vuṭṭhāpessanti.
“How can nuns do this?
Ūnavīsativassā, bhikkhave, kumāribhūtā akkhamā hoti sītassa uṇhassa …pe…
An unmarried girl 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;
pāṇaharānaṁ anadhivāsakajātikā hoti.
and she’s unable to bear up with bodily feelings that are painful, severe, sharp, and destructive of life.
Vīsativassāva kho, bhikkhave, kumāribhūtā khamā hoti sītassa uṇhassa …pe…
But an unmarried girl who is twenty years old is able to endure these things.
pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātikā hoti.
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 ūnavīsativassaṁ kumāribhūtaṁ vuṭṭhāpeyya, pācittiyan”ti.
‘If a nun gives the full admission to an unmarried girl who is less than twenty years old, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”
Definitions
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Yā panāti
A:
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yā yādisā …pe…
whoever …
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bhikkhunīti
Nun:
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…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.
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Ūnavīsativassā nāma
Who is less than twenty years old:
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appattavīsativassā.
who has not reached twenty years of age.
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Kumāribhūtā nāma
An unmarried girl:
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sāmaṇerī vuccati.
a novice nun is what is meant.
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Vuṭṭhāpeyyāti
Gives the full admission:
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upasampādeyya.
gives the full ordination.
“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.
Ñattiyā dukkaṭaṁ. After the motion, she commits 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.
Permutations
Ūnavīsativassāya ūnavīsativassasaññā vuṭṭhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If the girl is less than twenty years old, and the nun perceives her as less, and she gives her the full admission, she commits an offense entailing confession.
Ūnavīsativassāya vematikā vuṭṭhāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If the girl is less than twenty years old, but the nun is unsure of it, and she gives her the full admission, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Ūnavīsativassāya 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.
Paripuṇṇavīsativassāya 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.
Paripuṇṇavīsativassāya 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.
Paripuṇṇavīsativassāya paripuṇṇasaññā, anāpatti.
If the girl is more than twenty years old, and the nun perceives her as more, there is no offense.
Non-offenses
Anāpatti—
There is no offense:
ūnavīsativassaṁ paripuṇṇasaññā vuṭṭhāpeti,
if she gives the full admission to a girl less than twenty years old, but she perceives her as more;
paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ paripuṇṇasaññā vuṭṭhāpeti,
if she gives the full admission to a girl more than twenty years old, and she perceives her as more;
ummattikāya,
if she is insane;
ādikammikāyāti.
if she is the first offender.
Paṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.
The first training rule is finished.
