English
(6) 1. Gotami Chapter 1. Gotami Sutta 51. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans in Kapilavatthu, at the Nigrodha Park. Then Mahapajapati Gotami approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, she stood to one side. Standing to one side, Mahapajapati Gotami said to the Blessed One: "It would be good, venerable sir, if women could obtain going forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata." "Enough, Gotami! Do not let it please you for women to go forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata." A second time Mahapajapati Gotami said to the Blessed One: "It would be good, venerable sir, if women could obtain going forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata." "Enough, Gotami! Do not let it please you for women to go forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata." A third time Mahapajapati Gotami said to the Blessed One: "It would be good, venerable sir, if women could obtain going forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata." "Enough, Gotami! Do not let it please you for women to go forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata." Then Mahapajapati Gotami, thinking, "The Blessed One does not permit women to go forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata," sad, dejected, with tearful face, weeping, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and departed. Then the Blessed One, having stayed in Kapilavatthu as long as he wished, set out on a journey towards Vesali. Journeying by stages, he arrived at Vesali. There the Blessed One was dwelling in Vesali, in the Great Wood, at the Gabled Hall. Then Mahapajapati Gotami, having cut off her hair, and put on saffron robes, together with many Sakyan women, where She did not turn back from Vesālī. Gradually, she approached the Kūṭāgārasālā in the Great Wood near Vesālī. Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, with swollen feet, with a body covered in dust, sorrowful, dejected, with tearful face, weeping, stood outside the gatehouse. The venerable Ānanda saw Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī standing outside the gatehouse, with swollen feet, with a body covered in dust, sorrowful, dejected, with tearful face, weeping. Having seen Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, he said to her: "Why, Gotamī, are you standing outside the gatehouse, with swollen feet, with a body covered in dust, sorrowful, dejected, with tearful face, weeping?" "Indeed, venerable Ānanda, the Blessed One does not permit women to go forth from home into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." "In that case, Gotamī, wait here for a moment, while I request the Blessed One to permit women to go forth from home into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." Then the venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī is standing outside the gatehouse, with swollen feet, with a body covered in dust, sorrowful, dejected, with tearful face, weeping, saying: 'The Blessed One does not permit women to go forth from home into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.' It would be good, venerable sir, if women could go forth from home into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." "Enough, Ānanda! Do not be pleased with women going forth from home into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." A second time... and a third time, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: "It would be good, venerable sir, if women could go forth from home into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." "Enough, Ānanda! Do not they wish for women to go forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.” Then it occurred to Venerable Ānanda: “The Blessed One does not permit women to go forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata. What if I were to ask the Blessed One in another way for women to go forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata?” Then Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “Is it possible, Venerable Sir, for women, having gone forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, to realize the fruit of stream-entry, or the fruit of once-returning, or the fruit of non-returning, or the fruit of arahantship?” “It is possible, Ānanda, for women, having gone forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, to realize the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, and the fruit of arahantship.” “If, Venerable Sir, it is possible for women, having gone forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, to realize the fruit of stream-entry… …and the fruit of arahantship, then, Venerable Sir, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, the aunt of the Blessed One, was of great service: she was his guardian, his nurturer, the giver of milk; when the Blessed One’s mother passed away, she suckled him. It would be good, Venerable Sir, if women could obtain going forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.” “If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī accepts the eight weighty rules, that will be her full ordination. A bhikkhunī, even if ordained for a hundred years, must salute, rise up for, perform the añjali gesture, and perform proper conduct towards a bhikkhu ordained on that very day. This rule is to be respected, held weighty, honored, revered, and not transgressed throughout life. A bhikkhunī must not spend the rainy season in a residence where there are no bhikkhus. This rule is to be respected, held weighty, having respected, having honored, not to be transgressed throughout life. Every half-month, a bhikkhunī from the Bhikkhu Saṅgha should expect two things: the asking for Uposatha, and the going for instruction. This rule too, to be respected, to be held weighty, to be honored, to be revered, not to be transgressed throughout life. Having completed the rains, a bhikkhunī in both Saṅghas should make Pavāraṇā in three ways: by what was seen, or by what was heard, or by what was suspected. This rule too, to be respected, to be held weighty, to be honored, to be revered, not to be transgressed throughout life. A bhikkhunī who has transgressed a weighty rule must undergo a half-month's mānatta in both Saṅghas. This rule too, to be respected, to be held weighty, to be honored, to be revered, not to be transgressed throughout life. A female trainee, having trained for two years in the six rules, should seek ordination in both Saṅghas. This rule too, to be respected, to be held weighty, to be honored, to be revered, not to be transgressed throughout life. By no means whatsoever, a bhikkhunī should revile or abuse a bhikkhu. This rule too, to be respected, to be held weighty, to be honored, to be revered, not to be transgressed throughout life. From today onwards, the path of speech for bhikkhunīs towards bhikkhus is closed. The path of speech for bhikkhus towards bhikkhunīs is open. This rule too, to be respected, to be held weighty, to be honored, to be revered, not to be transgressed throughout life. "If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī accepts these eight weighty rules, then that shall be her ordination." Then indeed, the venerable Ānanda, having learned these eight weighty rules from the Blessed One, approached Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī; having approached, he said this to Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī: "If indeed you, Gotamī, would accept the eight weighty rules, then that shall be your ordination – "By a bhikkhunī ordained for a hundred years, to a bhikkhu ordained on that very day, salutation, rising up, the act of reverence with clasped hands, and proper conduct are to be done. This too..." ...the Dhamma is to be respected, revered, honored, and worshipped, and not to be transgressed as long as life lasts… “From today onwards, the path of speech for bhikkhunīs towards bhikkhus is closed, but the path of speech for bhikkhus towards bhikkhunīs is open. This Dhamma too is to be respected, revered, honored, and worshipped, and not to be transgressed as long as life lasts. If, Gotamī, you accept these eight weighty rules, that will be your full ordination.” “Just as, Venerable Ānanda, a woman or a man, young and fond of adornment, having bathed their head, would obtain a garland of lotuses, or a garland of jasmine, or a garland of jasmines, and receiving it with both hands, would place it on their head, on the crown of their head; even so, Venerable Ānanda, I accept these eight weighty rules, not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.” Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “The eight weighty rules, not to be transgressed as long as life lasts, have been accepted by Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, Venerable Sir.” “If, Ānanda, women had not obtained the going forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, the holy life, Ānanda, would have endured for a long time; the True Dhamma would have remained for a thousand years. But since, Ānanda, women have gone forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, now, Ānanda, the holy life will not endure for a long time. Now, Ānanda, the True Dhamma