1.
The Discourse on Gotamī
51.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Nigrodha Monastery.
Then Mahāpajāpati Gotamī approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and stood to one side.
Standing to one side, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī said this to the Blessed One -
"It would be good, venerable sir, if a woman could obtain the going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder."
"Enough, Gotamī!
Do not find delight in a woman's going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder."
For the second time Mahāpajāpati Gotamī said this to the Blessed One - "It would be good, venerable sir, if a woman could obtain the going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder." "Enough, Gotamī! Do not find delight in a woman's going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder." For the third time Mahāpajāpati Gotamī said this to the Blessed One - "It would be good, venerable sir, if a woman could obtain the going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder." "Enough, Gotamī! Do not find delight in a woman's going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder."
Then Mahāpajāpati Gotamī, thinking "The Blessed One does not allow a woman's going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder," afflicted, unhappy, with tearful face, weeping, paid respect to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on her right, and departed.
Then the Blessed One, having dwelt at Kapilavatthu as long as he liked, set out on a journey towards Vesālī. Wandering on a journey gradually, he arrived at Vesālī. There the Blessed One stayed at Vesālī in the Great Wood in the Pinnacled Hall. Then Mahāpajāpati Gotamī, having had her hair cut off, having put on ochre robes, together with many Sakyan women, set out towards Vesālī. Gradually she approached Vesālī, the Great Wood, the Pinnacled Hall. Then Mahāpajāpati Gotamī, with swollen feet, with body covered with dust, afflicted, unhappy, with tearful face, weeping, stood outside the door-porch.
The Venerable Ānanda saw Mahāpajāpati Gotamī with swollen feet, with body covered with dust, afflicted, unhappy, with tearful face, weeping, standing outside the door-porch. Having seen her, he said this to Mahāpajāpati Gotamī - "Why are you, Gotamī, with swollen feet, with body covered with dust, afflicted, unhappy, with tearful face, weeping, standing outside the door-porch?" "Because indeed, Venerable Ānanda, the Blessed One does not allow a woman's going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder." "Well then, Gotamī, wait here for a moment, while I request the Blessed One for a woman's going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder."
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One - "Venerable sir, this Mahāpajāpati Gotamī, with swollen feet, with body covered with dust, afflicted, unhappy, with tearful face, weeping, is standing outside the door-porch - 'The Blessed One does not allow a woman's going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder.' It would be good, venerable sir, if a woman could obtain the going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder." "Enough, Ānanda! Do not find delight in a woman's going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder."
For the second time, etc. For the third time, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One - "It would be good, venerable sir, if a woman could obtain the going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder." "Enough, Ānanda! Do not find delight in a woman's going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder."
Then this occurred to the Venerable Ānanda: "The Blessed One does not allow a woman's going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder. What if I were to request the Blessed One by another method for a woman's going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder?" Then the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One - "Is a woman, venerable sir, capable of realising the fruition of stream-entry or the fruition of once-returning or the fruition of non-returning or the fruition of arahantship, having gone forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder?" "A woman is capable, Ānanda, of realising the fruition of stream-entry and the fruition of once-returning and the fruition of non-returning and the fruition of arahantship, having gone forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder." "If, venerable sir, a woman is capable of realising the fruition of stream-entry, etc. the fruition of arahantship, having gone forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī, venerable sir, has been very helpful to the Blessed One - she is his maternal aunt, his foster-mother, his nurse, the giver of milk; when the Blessed One's mother had died, she gave him her breast milk. It would be good, venerable sir, if a woman could obtain the going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder."
"If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī accepts the eight rules of respect, let that be her full ordination -
"A nun who has been fully ordained for a hundred years should pay respect, rise up in respect, salute with joined palms, and do the proper duties to a monk who has been fully ordained that very day. This too is a rule that, having honoured, having respected, having revered, having venerated, is not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts.
"A nun should not enter the rains retreat in a residence without monks. This too is a rule that, having honoured, having respected, having revered, having venerated, is not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts.
"Every half-month a nun should expect two things from the community of monks - asking as to the date of the Observance day, and approaching for exhortation. This too is a rule that, having honoured, having respected, having revered, having venerated, is not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts.
"A nun who has completed the rains retreat should invite admonishment before both communities on three grounds - by what is seen or by what is heard or by suspicion. This too is a rule that, having honoured, having respected, having revered, having venerated, is not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts.
"A nun who has become guilty of a serious offence should undergo penance for a fortnight before both communities. This too is a rule that, having honoured, having respected, having revered, having venerated, is not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts.
"A female trainee who has completed the training in the six rules for two years should seek full ordination from both communities. This too is a rule that, having honoured, having respected, having revered, having venerated, is not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts.
"A monk should not be reviled or abused by a nun by any method. This too is a rule that, having honoured, having respected, having revered, having venerated, is not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts.
"Henceforth the path of speech is closed for nuns towards monks, but the path of speech is not closed for monks towards nuns. This too is a rule that, having honoured, having respected, having revered, having venerated, is not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts.
"If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī accepts these eight rules of respect, let that be her full ordination."
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having learnt these eight rules of respect in the presence of the Blessed One, approached Mahāpajāpati Gotamī; having approached, he said this to Mahāpajāpati Gotamī -
"If indeed you, Gotamī, would accept the eight rules of respect, that itself will be your full ordination -
"A nun who has been fully ordained for a hundred years should pay respect, rise up in respect, salute with joined palms, and do the proper duties to a monk who has been fully ordained that very day. This too is a rule to be honoured, respected, revered, and venerated, not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts. Etc.
"Henceforth the path of speech is closed for nuns towards monks, but the path of speech is not closed for monks towards nuns. This too is a rule that, having honoured, having respected, having revered, having venerated, is not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts. If indeed you, Gotamī, would accept these eight rules of respect, that itself will be your full ordination."
"Just as, venerable Ānanda, a woman or a man, young, youthful, fond of adornment, having bathed the head, having obtained a garland of blue lotuses or a garland of jasmine or a garland of adhimuttaka flowers, having received it with both hands, would place it on the head, the highest part; so too, venerable Ānanda, I accept these eight rules of respect, not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts."
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One - "The eight rules of respect, venerable sir, have been accepted by Mahāpajāpati Gotamī, not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts."
"If, Ānanda, a woman had not obtained the going forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder, the holy life, Ānanda, would have been long-lasting, the Good Teaching would have remained for a thousand years. But since, Ānanda, a woman has gone forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder, now, Ānanda, the holy life will not be long-lasting. Now, Ānanda, the Good Teaching will remain for only five hundred years.
"Just as, Ānanda, whatever families have many women and few men, they are easily assaulted by thieves and burglars; so too, Ānanda, in whatever Teaching and discipline a woman obtains the going forth from home into homelessness, that holy life is not long-lasting.
"Just as, Ānanda, when a disease called mildew falls upon a thriving rice field, thus that rice field is not long-lasting; so too, Ānanda, in whatever Teaching and discipline a woman obtains the going forth from home into homelessness, that holy life is not long-lasting.
"Just as, Ānanda, when a disease called red rust falls upon a thriving sugar-cane field, thus that sugar-cane field is not long-lasting; so too, Ānanda, in whatever Teaching and discipline a woman obtains the going forth from home into homelessness, that holy life is not long-lasting.
"Just as, Ānanda, a man might build an embankment for a great lake beforehand, just for the non-overflowing of the water; so too, Ānanda, the eight rules of respect have been laid down by me for nuns beforehand, not to be transgressed for as long as life lasts." The first.