[141] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu, in the Nigrodha Park. Then Mahāpajāpati Gotamī approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, she stood to one side. Standing to one side, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī said this to the Blessed One: "It would be good, venerable sir, if women might obtain the going forth (pabbajjā) from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." "Enough, Gotamī! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata."
A second time Mahāpajāpati Gotamī said this to the Blessed One: "It would be good, venerable sir, if women might obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." "Enough, Gotamī! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata."
A third time Mahāpajāpati Gotamī said this to the Blessed One: "It would be good, venerable sir, if women might obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." "Enough, Gotamī! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata."
Then Mahāpajāpati Gotamī, [thinking,] "The Blessed One does not allow the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata" — pained, dejected, her face streaming with tears, weeping — paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him with her right side toward him, and departed.
Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Kapilavatthu as long as he wished, set out on tour toward Vesālī. Wandering by stages, he arrived at Vesālī. There indeed the Blessed One dwelt at Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Hall with the Peaked Roof. Then Mahāpajāpati Gotamī, having had her hair cut off and having put on ochre robes, set out toward Vesālī together with a number of Sakyan women. In due course she approached Vesālī, the Great Wood, the Hall with the Peaked Roof. Then Mahāpajāpati Gotamī — her feet swollen, her limbs covered with dust, pained, dejected, her face streaming with tears, weeping — stood outside the gateway. The Venerable Ānanda saw Mahāpajāpati Gotamī standing outside the gateway, her feet swollen, her limbs covered with dust, pained, dejected, her face streaming with tears, weeping; and having seen her, he said this to Mahāpajāpati Gotamī: "Why, Gotamī, do you stand outside the gateway, your feet swollen, your limbs covered with dust, pained, dejected, your face streaming with tears, weeping?" "It is, venerable Ānanda, because the Blessed One does not allow the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." "Then, Gotamī, wait right here while I ask the Blessed One for the going forth of women from the household life 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 this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, this Mahāpajāpati Gotamī is standing outside the gateway, her feet swollen, her limbs covered with dust, pained, dejected, her face streaming with tears, weeping, because the Blessed One does not allow the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata. It would be good, venerable sir, if women might obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." "Enough, Ānanda! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." A second time …
A third time the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "It would be good, venerable sir, if women might obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." "Enough, Ānanda! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata."
Then it occurred to the Venerable Ānanda: "The Blessed One does not allow the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata. Suppose I were to ask the Blessed One by another approach for the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata." Then the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, is a woman, having gone forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, capable of realizing the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, or the fruit of arahantship?" "A woman, Ānanda, having gone forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, is capable of realizing the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, and the fruit of arahantship." "If, venerable sir, a woman, having gone forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, is capable of realizing the fruit of stream-entry … and the fruit of arahantship — venerable sir, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī has been of great service: she is the Blessed One's maternal aunt, his nurse, his foster mother, the giver of milk; when his mother had died, she suckled the Blessed One. It would be good, venerable sir, if women might obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata."
"If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī accepts eight weighty principles (garudhamma), let that itself be her full ordination (upasampadā):
"A bhikkhunī who has been fully ordained for a hundred years must perform homage, rising up in respect, reverential salutation, and proper duties toward a bhikkhu ordained that very day. This principle too, having been honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, is not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.
"A bhikkhunī must not enter the rains residence in a dwelling place where there is no bhikkhu. This principle too, having been honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, is not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.
"Every half-month a bhikkhunī should expect two things from the Saṅgha of bhikkhus: the asking about the uposatha day, and the coming for exhortation. This principle too, having been honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, is not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.
"When the rains residence is completed, a bhikkhunī must make invitation (pavāraṇā) before both Saṅghas with respect to three grounds: what has been seen, what has been heard, and what is suspected. This principle too, having been honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, is not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.
"A bhikkhunī who has committed a grave offense must undergo a half-month's penance (pakkhamānatta) before both Saṅghas. This principle too, having been honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, is not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.
"A trainee (sikkhamānā) who has trained for two years in the six principles must seek full ordination from both Saṅghas. This principle too, having been honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, is not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.
"A bhikkhunī must not in any way abuse or revile a bhikkhu. This principle too, having been honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, is not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.
"From this day forward, the admonition of bhikkhus by bhikkhunīs is forbidden; the admonition of bhikkhunīs by bhikkhus is not forbidden. This principle too, having been honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, is not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.
"If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī accepts these eight weighty principles, let that itself be her full ordination."
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having learned these eight weighty principles in the presence of the Blessed One, approached Mahāpajāpati Gotamī; having approached, he said this to Mahāpajāpati Gotamī: "If, Gotamī, you would accept eight weighty principles, that itself will be your full ordination: A bhikkhunī who has been fully ordained for a hundred years must perform homage, rising up in respect, reverential salutation, and proper duties toward a bhikkhu ordained that very day. This principle too, having been honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, is not to be transgressed as long as life lasts. … From this day forward, the admonition of bhikkhus by bhikkhunīs is forbidden; the admonition of bhikkhunīs by bhikkhus is not forbidden. This principle too, having been honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, is not to be transgressed as long as life lasts. If, Gotamī, you would accept these eight weighty principles, that itself will be your full ordination."
"Venerable Ānanda, just as a woman or a man — young, youthful, fond of adornment, with head freshly bathed — having obtained a garland of blue lotuses, a garland of jasmine, or a garland of adhimuttaka flowers, would receive it with both hands and place it upon the head, the noblest part of the body; even so, venerable [Ānanda], do I accept these eight weighty principles, not to be transgressed as long as life lasts."
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 this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, the eight weighty principles, not to be transgressed as long as life lasts, have been accepted by Mahāpajāpati Gotamī."
"If, Ānanda, women had not obtained the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, the holy life (brahmacariya) would have lasted long, Ānanda; the true Dhamma (saddhamma) would have stood for a thousand years. But since, Ānanda, women have gone forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, now, Ānanda, the holy life will not last long; now, Ānanda, the true Dhamma will stand only five hundred years. Just as, Ānanda, whatever families have many women and few men are easily plundered by robbers and pot-thieves, even so, Ānanda, in whatever Dhamma and Discipline women obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness, that holy life does not last long. Just as, Ānanda, when the blight called setaṭṭhikā (white-bone blight) falls upon a flourishing field of rice, that field of rice does not last long, even so, Ānanda, in whatever Dhamma and Discipline women obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness, that holy life does not last long. Just as, Ānanda, when the disease called mañjeṭṭhikā (red rot) falls upon a flourishing field of sugarcane, that field of sugarcane does not last long, even so, Ānanda, in whatever Dhamma and Discipline women obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness, that holy life does not last long. Just as, Ānanda, a man might build an embankment around a great reservoir in advance, precisely so that the water would not overflow, even so, Ānanda, I have laid down in advance for the bhikkhunīs the eight weighty principles, not to be transgressed as long as life lasts."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.