The training rule on not giving the full admission to trainee nuns

The chapter on offenses entailing confession The subchapter on unmarried girls

The training rule on not giving the full admission to trainee nuns

Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, a trainee nun went to the nun Thullanandā and asked her for the full ordination. Thullanandā told her, “If you give me a robe, 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.

That trainee nun told the nuns what had happened. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, “How could Venerable Thullanandā say that to a trainee nun and then neither give her the full admission nor make any effort to have her fully admitted?” … “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā did this?”

“It’s true, Sir.”

The Buddha rebuked her … “How could the nun Thullanandā act in this way? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

Final ruling

‘If a nun tells a trainee nun, “If you give me a robe, 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.’”

Definitions

A: whoever … Nun: … 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. A trainee nun: one who has trained for two years in the six rules. If you give me a robe, Venerable, I’ll give you the full admission: I’ll give you the full ordination. Then, if there were no obstacles: when there is no obstacle. She neither gives her the full admission: does not herself give her the full admission. Nor makes any effort to have her fully admitted: does not ask anyone else to give her the full ordination.

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.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if there is an obstacle; if she searches for someone to give her the full ordination, but is unable to find anyone; if she is sick; if there is an emergency; if she is insane; if she is the first offender.

The seventh training rule is finished.

Pācittiyakaṇḍa Kumāribhūtavagga

77. Sikkhamāna-navuṭṭhāpanasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena aññatarā sikkhamānā thullanandaṁ bhikkhuniṁ upasaṅkamitvā upasampadaṁ yāci. Thullanandā bhikkhunī taṁ sikkhamānaṁ— “sace me tvaṁ, ayye, cīvaraṁ dassasi evāhaṁ taṁ vuṭṭhāpessāmī”ti vatvā, neva vuṭṭhāpeti na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karoti.

Atha kho sā sikkhamānā bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā sikkhamānaṁ— ‘sace me tvaṁ, ayye, cīvaraṁ dassasi evāhaṁ taṁ vuṭṭhāpessāmī’ti vatvā, neva vuṭṭhāpessati na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karissatī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī sikkhamānaṁ— ‘sace me tvaṁ, ayye, cīvaraṁ dassasi evāhaṁ taṁ vuṭṭhāpessāmī’ti vatvā, neva vuṭṭhāpeti na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karotī”ti?

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī sikkhamānaṁ— ‘sace me tvaṁ, ayye, cīvaraṁ dassasi evāhaṁ taṁ vuṭṭhāpessāmī’ti vatvā, neva vuṭṭhāpessati na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karissati. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

“Yā pana bhikkhunī sikkhamānaṁ—‘sace me tvaṁ, ayye, cīvaraṁ dassasi, evāhaṁ taṁ vuṭṭhāpessāmī’ti vatvā, sā pacchā anantarāyikinī neva vuṭṭhāpeyya na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ kareyya, pācittiyan”ti.

Yā panāti yā yādisā …pe… bhikkhunīti …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti. Sikkhamānā nāma dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhā. Sace me tvaṁ, ayye, cīvaraṁ dassasi evāhaṁ taṁ vuṭṭhāpessāmīti evāhaṁ taṁ upasampādessāmi. Sā pacchā anantarāyikinīti asati antarāye. Neva vuṭṭhāpeyyāti na sayaṁ vuṭṭhāpeyya. Na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ kareyyāti na aññaṁ āṇāpeyya.

“Neva vuṭṭhāpessāmi na vuṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karissāmī”ti dhuraṁ nikkhittamatte āpatti pācittiyassa.

Anāpatti— sati antarāye, pariyesitvā na labhati, gilānāya, āpadāsu, ummattikāya, ādikammikāyāti.

Sattamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.