English
'After my passing, let my requisites belong to the Saṅgha,' the community of nuns has no authority over it; it belongs to the community of monks. If a male novice, monks... or a male lay follower, monks... or a female lay follower, monks... or any other person, monks, as he is dying, should say this: 'After my passing, let my requisites belong to the Saṅgha,' the community of nuns has no authority over it; it belongs to the community of monks." 420. Now at that time a certain woman, a former wrestler, had gone forth among the nuns. Seeing a frail monk on the road, she struck him with her shoulder and knocked him down. The monks complained, grumbled, and criticized, saying: "How can a nun strike a monk?" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, a bhikkhunī should not strike a bhikkhu. If she gives (a blow), there is an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, monks, that a bhikkhunī, seeing a bhikkhu, should step aside from afar and give way." Now at that time, a certain woman whose husband was away became pregnant by an adulterer. She aborted the fetus and said to a bhikkhunī who frequented her family: "Come, venerable one, take this fetus away in your bowl." So that bhikkhunī put the fetus in her bowl, covered it with her outer robe, and went on her way. Now at that time, a certain alms-gathering bhikkhu had made a resolution: "Whatever alms I receive first, I will not consume it without giving it to a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī." Then that bhikkhu, seeing that bhikkhunī, said to her: "Come, sister, receive alms." "Enough, venerable one," she said. A second time... a third time, that bhikkhu said to that bhikkhunī: "Come, sister, receive alms." "Enough, venerable one," she said. "Sister, I have made a resolution: 'Whatever alms I receive first, I will not consume it without giving it to a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī.' Come, sister, receive alms." Then that bhikkhunī, being pressed by that bhikkhu, took out and showed her bowl: "Look, venerable one, there is a fetus in the bowl; do not tell anyone." Then that bhikkhu complained, grumbled, and criticized: "How can a bhikkhunī take away a fetus in her bowl!" Then that bhikkhu reported this matter to the bhikkhus. Those bhikkhus who were of few desires... they complained, grumbled, and criticized: "How can a bhikkhunī take away a fetus in her bowl!" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, a bhikkhunī should not take away a fetus in her bowl. If she takes it away, there is an offense. a wrong-doing. I allow, monks, a nun, having seen a monk, to take out and give the bowl. At that time, the group of six nuns, having seen a monk, turned the bowl around and showed the bottom of the bowl. The monks complained, grumbled, criticized: "How can the group of six nuns, having seen a monk, turn the bowl around and show the bottom of the bowl?" Then those monks reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, a nun, having seen a monk, should not turn the bowl around and show the bottom of the bowl. Whoever does so, commits a wrong-doing. I allow, monks, a nun, having seen a monk, to turn the bowl upright and give the bowl. And whatever food is in the bowl, with that the monk should be invited." At that time, in Sāvatthī, a male organ was discarded in the street. The nuns carefully observed it. People made an outcry. Those nuns were embarrassed. Then those nuns, having gone to the nunnery, reported this matter to the nuns. Those nuns who were of few desires...etc... they complained, grumbled, criticized: "How can nuns observe a male organ?" Then those nuns reported this matter to the monks. The monks reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, a nun should not observe a male organ. Whoever observes it, commits a wrong-doing." 421. At that time, people gave food to the monks. The monks gave it to the nuns. People complained, grumbled, criticized: "How can the venerable ones give to others what was given for their own consumption! We also know how to give gifts." They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, what was given for one's own consumption should not be given to others. Whoever gives it, commits a wrong-doing." Then Now at that time, for the bhikkhus, provisions were abundant. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, to give to the Sangha." They became even more abundant. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, to give even individually." Now at that time, for the bhikkhus, stored provisions were abundant. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, for the bhikkhus' stored provisions to be received by bhikkhunis and consumed." Now at that time, people gave provisions to bhikkhunis. The bhikkhunis gave them to the bhikkhus. People complained, grumbled, criticized— "How can bhikkhunis give to others what was given for their own consumption! We too do not know how to give donations!" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Bhikkhus, what is given for a bhikkhuni's own consumption should not be given to others. Whoever gives it, commits an offense of wrong-doing." Now at that time, for the bhikkhunis, provisions were abundant. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, to give to the Sangha." They became even more abundant. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, to give even individually." Now at that time, for the bhikkhunis, stored provisions were abundant. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, for the bhikkhunis' stored provisions to be received by bhikkhus and bhikkhunis and consumed." 422. Now at that time, for the bhikkhus, dwellings were abundant, but for the bhikkhunis, there were none. The bhikkhunis sent a messenger to the bhikkhus— "Good, venerable sirs, may the venerable ones give us dwellings for a while." They reported this matter to the Blessed One. Um. "Monks, I allow nuns to be given a temporary lodging." At that time, menstruating nuns would sit or lie down on a bed or chair that was covered. The lodging would be stained with blood. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, a nun should not sit or lie down on a covered bed or chair. If she does, there is an offense of wrong-doing. Monks, I allow a lodging cloth." The lodging cloth would be stained with blood. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, I allow a menstrual cloth." The cloth would fall off. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, I allow it to be tied with a string and tied to the thigh." The string would break. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, I allow a folded cloth, a waist-string." At that time, the group of six nuns wore a waist-string all the time. People complained, grumbled, and criticized—"Just like a laywoman, an enjoyer of sensual pleasures!" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, a nun should not wear a waist-string all the time. If she does, there is an offense of wrong-doing. Monks, I allow a waist-string for a menstruating nun." The second recitation section is finished. 3. The Third Recitation Section 423. At that time, fully ordained nuns were seen—without signs, with slight signs, without blood, with constant blood, with constant cloths, flowing, with a peak, female hermaphrodites, virile women, confused, with both characteristics. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, I allow that when ordaining, one should ask about the twenty-four obstructive conditions. And thus, monks, it should be asked—'Are you not without signs, are you not with slight signs, are you not without blood, are you not with constant blood, are you not with constant cloths, are you not flowing...'" Are you a runaway? Are you not a sikhariṇī? Are you not an effeminate man? Are you not a virile woman? Are you not one whose sex is confused? Are you not a hermaphrodite? Do you have such diseases as leprosy, boils, eczema, consumption, epilepsy? Are you a human being, a woman, free, debtless, not a royal servant? Are you permitted by your parents, by your husband? Are you fully twenty years old? Is your bowl and robe complete? What is your name? What is your preceptor's name? At that time, the bhikkhus asked the bhikkhunīs about the disqualifying factors. The candidates for ordination were embarrassed, ashamed, and unable to answer. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, monks, that one who has been ordained in one Sangha and is purified, may be ordained in the Bhikkhu Sangha." At that time, the bhikkhunīs, without instructing them, asked the candidates for ordination about the disqualifying factors. The candidates for ordination were embarrassed, ashamed, and unable to answer. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, monks, that they should first instruct, and afterwards ask about the disqualifying factors." They instructed them right there in the midst of the Sangha. The candidates for ordination were likewise embarrassed, ashamed, and unable to answer. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, monks, that they should instruct them aside, and then ask about the disqualifying factors in the midst of the Sangha. And thus, monks, should they be instructed. 424. "First, she should be made to take an upajjha (preceptor). Having made her take an upajjha, her bowl and robes should be pointed out: 'This is your bowl, this is your outer robe, this is your upper robe, this is your inner robe, this is your shoulder-covering, this is your bathing cloth; go stand in that place.'" Foolish and ignorant ones instructed. The poorly instructed candidates for ordination were embarrassed, ashamed, and unable to answer. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, foolish ones should not... should be instructed. If she instructs, there is an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, monks, a competent and capable bhikkhunī to instruct. Unapproved ones instruct.