AN8.51 — Gotamīsutta

At one time, the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Monastery.

Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī approached the Blessed One; having approached, she paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī said to the Blessed One, It would be good, venerable sir, if women could obtain the going forth from the home life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.

Enough, Gotamī.

Do not let it please you that women should obtain the going forth from the home life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.

For the second time, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī said to the Blessed One, It would be good, venerable sir, if women could obtain the going forth from the home life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.

Enough, Gotamī.

Do not let it please you that women should obtain the going forth from the home life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.

For the third time, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī said to the Blessed One, It would be good, venerable sir, if women could obtain the going forth from the home life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.

Enough, Gotamī.

Do not let it please you that women should obtain the going forth from the home life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.

Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, thinking, The Blessed One does not allow women to obtain the going forth from the home life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, sorrowful and downcast, with tearful face and weeping, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and departed.

Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Kapilavatthu as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour towards Vesālī.

Wandering by stages, he eventually arrived at Vesālī.

There the Blessed One stayed at Vesālī in the Great Wood, in the Hall with the Peaked Roof.

Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, having had her hair cut off and donned ochre robes, set out for Vesālī with a large number of Sākyan women.

Wandering by stages, she eventually arrived at Vesālī, at the Great Wood, at the Hall with the Peaked Roof.

Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, with swollen feet, covered with dust, sorrowful and downcast, with tearful face and weeping, stood outside the entrance porch.

The Venerable Ānanda saw Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī with swollen feet, covered with dust, sorrowful and downcast, with tearful face and weeping, standing outside the entrance porch.

Seeing her, the Venerable Ānanda said to Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī...

Why are you standing here, Gotami, with swollen feet, body covered in dust, suffering, dejected, with tearful face, crying at the outer gate?

Indeed, venerable Ananda, the Blessed One does not permit women to go forth from the household life to homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata.

Then, Gotami, wait here for a moment while I ask the Blessed One about women going forth from the household life to homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata.

Then the venerable Ananda 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 Ananda said to the Blessed One:

Venerable sir, Mahapajapati Gotami is standing at the outer gate with swollen feet, body covered in dust, suffering, dejected, with tearful face, crying, saying, The Blessed One does not permit women to go forth from the household life to homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata.

Venerable sir, it would be good if women could go forth from the household life to homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata.

Enough, Ananda. Do not let it please you that women should go forth from the household life to homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata.

For the second time...

For the third time, the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One:

Venerable sir, it would be good if women could go forth from the household life to homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata.

Enough, Ananda. Do not let it please you that women should go forth from the household life to homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata.

Then it occurred to the venerable Ananda:

The Blessed One does not permit women to go forth from the household life to homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata. What if I were to ask the Blessed One in another way about women going forth from the household life to homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata?

Then the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One:

Venerable sir, is a woman capable, having gone forth from the household life to homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, of realizing the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, or the fruit of arahantship?

A woman is capable, Ananda, having gone forth from the household life to homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, 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 is capable, having gone forth from the household life to homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, of realizing the fruit of stream-entry... up to the fruit of arahantship;

Venerable Sir, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, the Buddha's maternal aunt, was his caregiver and milk-giver; she nursed the Blessed One after his mother passed away.

It would be good, Venerable Sir, if women could receive ordination in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, leaving the household life for the homeless life.

If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī accepts the eight Garudhammas, let that be her ordination:

A disciplenī who has been ordained for a hundred years must pay respect, rise up, salute with joined palms, and perform proper duties to a disciple ordained on that very day.

This rule must be respected, revered, honored, and not transgressed for life.

A disciplenī must not spend the rains retreat in a residence without a disciple.

This rule must be respected, revered, honored, and not transgressed for life.

Every half month, a disciplenī must seek two things from the disciple Saṅgha: the asking of the Uposatha and the approach for instruction.

This rule must be respected, revered, honored, and not transgressed for life.

After the rains retreat, a disciplenī must invite both Saṅghas for three matters: seen, heard, and suspected.

This rule must be respected, revered, honored, and not transgressed for life.

A disciplenī who has committed a serious offense must undergo penance for half a month before both Saṅghas.

This rule must be respected, revered, honored, and not transgressed for life.

A probationer who has trained in the six rules for two years must seek ordination from both Saṅghas.

This rule must be respected, revered, honored, and not transgressed for life.

A disciplenī must not insult or revile a disciple in any way.

This rule must be respected, revered, honored, and not transgressed for life.

From today, a disciplenī must accept admonition from a disciple, but a disciple must not accept admonition from a disciplenī.

This rule must be respected, revered, honored, and not transgressed for life.

If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī accepts these eight Garudhammas, let that be her ordination.

Then, Venerable Ānanda, having learned these eight Garudhammas from the Blessed One, approached Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī and said to her, If you, Gotamī, accept these eight Garudhammas, let that be your ordination:

A disciple who has been ordained on the same day as a nun endowed with the full ordination must show respect by greeting, standing up, making anjali, and performing proper duties.

This rule, too, must be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and must not be transgressed for life.

From today onwards, the nuns must receive instructions from the disciples, but the disciples do not need to receive instructions from the nuns.

This rule, too, must be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and must not be transgressed for life.

If you, Gotami, accept these eight important rules, your ordination will be valid.

Just as, venerable Ananda, a young woman or man, fond of adornments, having washed their head, would take a garland of blue lotuses, or jasmine, or another kind of flower, and place it on the top of their head with both hands;

In the same way, venerable Ananda, I accept these eight important rules, which must not be transgressed for life.

Then the venerable Ananda 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 Ananda said to the Blessed One:

Venerable sir, Mahapajapati Gotami has accepted the eight important rules, which must not be transgressed for life.

If, Ananda, women had not received the going forth from home into homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, the holy life would have lasted long, the true doctrine would have endured for a thousand years.

But since, Ananda, women have received the going forth from home into homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, the holy life will not last long. Now, Ananda, the true doctrine will endure only for five hundred years.

Just as, Ananda, families with many women and few men are easily overpowered by robbers and bandits;

In the same way, Ananda, in any doctrine and discipline where women receive the going forth from home into homelessness, the holy life does not last long.

Just as, Ananda, a field of rice that is infested with white bones disease does not last long;

In the same way, Ananda, in any doctrine and discipline where women receive the going forth from home into homelessness, the holy life does not last long.

Just as, Ananda, a sugarcane field that is infested with red rot disease does not last long;

In the same way, Ananda, in any doctrine and discipline where women receive the going forth from home into homelessness, the holy life does not last long.

Just so, Ānanda, in whatever doctrine and discipline women obtain the going forth from home into homelessness, that holy life does not last long.

Just as, Ānanda, a man would build a dam in a great reservoir to prevent the water from overflowing;

Even so, Ānanda, have I laid down these eight important rules for the nuns, not to be transgressed as long as they live.

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