23a: The 5th Rains Retreat (Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī)
Having accomplished an incumbent duty of a Buddha by teaching the Discourse about the Great Assembly (Mahā-samaya-sutta, DN 20), the Discourse on the Correct Way to Wander (Sammā-paribbājanīya-sutta, Snp 2.13), etc., to the 500 Arahats of Sakyan descent and establishing 7,000 billion Devas and Brahmas in the Arahat fruition (Arahatta-phala), and a countless number of them in the three lower paths, as stated above, the Buddha took up residence at Kūṭāgāra monastery, which had terraced roofing and a crowning pinnacle, in the country of Vesālī to observe the fifth Rains Retreat (Vassa).
There were two forests bearing the name of Great Wood: one near Kapilavatthu and the other near Vesālī. Of these two, the one where the Buddha taught the Discourse about the Great Assembly, near Kapilavatthu, extended from the edge of Kapilavatthu to the Himālayas on one side and to the ocean on the other side. The one near the city of Vesālī was a great forest with a marked boundary on all sides.
When the Buddha was observing the fifth Rains Retreat (Vassa) in the Great Wood near Vesālī, King Suddhodana entered Nibbāna after attaining the Arahat fruition under the white umbrella in his golden palace.
An account of King Suddhodāna’s attainment of the Arahat fruition under the white umbrella in his golden palace and entering Parinibbāna has been dealt with in detail in the treatise entitled Tathāgata-udāna-dīpanī. In view of this, it is only briefly mentioned here as treated in the Collection of the Numerical Discourses (Aṅguttara-nikāya) commentary.
Permission for the Ordination of Women
The Buddha’s step-mother Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī had approached the Buddha at the time of his first visit to Kapilavatthu with a request for admission of women to the Saṅgha by formal ordination. Since then she had made the request three times more and the Buddha had rejected her request each time.
The reason for such rejection was because the Buddha had decided not to grant admission of women to the Saṅgha easily, but only after painstaking efforts on the part of women to gain permission for ordination. Only then would they realize that becoming a nun (bhikkhunī) in the Dispensation was a thing difficult of attainment and would safeguard their monastic status with constant vigilance. He wished them to cherish the hard won admission to the Saṅgha after a great struggle.
Thus, when Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī made her first request, which was repeated three times to the Buddha at the Nigrodha monastery of Kapilavatthu, her request was rejected by him for the reasons stated above. At each attempt, she had to abandon hope and return to the royal palace.
Now when the Buddha had taken up residence at Vesālī to keep the fifth Rains Retreat (Vassa) an opportunity presented itself for her to make another attempt. As stated in the previous chapters, the 500 monastics of royal blood, prior to their attainment of Awakening, had messages sent to them by their former spouses, requesting them to return and live a household life again. These ladies made their earnest appeal again by sending messages, as before, to the 500 monastics who had become Arahats now. But the Arahat monks sent the reply: “We are no longer in a position to lead a worldly life.”
The 500 deserted wives considered it would not be appropriate to seek for a
Their request reminded her of her failure to obtain permission for women to receive ordination when the Buddha was in residence at Nigrodha monastery on a previous occasion and so she had a hair-dresser shave their heads, including that of her own, and asked the ladies to wear dyed clothes and assume the form of female monastics while they were still in the royal palace. Then they made arrangements to set out all together for the Great Wood of Vesālī where the Buddha was then residing.
The distance between Kapilavatthu and Vesālī was 50 leagues; and when the Sakyan and Koliyan royal families considered arrangements for their journey, they concluded: “It would not be possible for these princesses and royal ladies, who were brought up so regally and gently, to make the journey on foot,” and they arranged to provide them with 500 sedans to solve the problem.
The 500 ladies agreed amongst themselves that such a mode of travelling might be tantamount to an act of disrespect to the Buddha and they therefore made the journey of 50 leagues on foot. Royal families of both countries arranged for regular provision of food at every stop and a sufficient number of escorts for their security on the way to Vesālī.
Having made the difficult journey of 50 leagues, their delicate feet were swollen with callouses which rose and burst, looking as if they were covered with the seeds of the clearing nut (Strychnos potatorum). All 500 fair ladies, headed by Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī, who arrived at Vesālī with swollen feet, bodies besmeared with dirt and dust, with tears streaming down their cheeks and in sore distress, stood in a group at the gate of the Kūṭāgāra monastery in the Great Wood.
They dared not enter the precincts of the monastery at once. Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī reflected to herself that she had taken on the dress of a nun without the permission of the Buddha, and the news of her action may have already spread throughout the land. It would be well if the Buddha would be pleased to admit her into the Saṅgha. But, failing that, she would have to withstand reproaches. That was the reason why she stood wailing at the gate without daring to seek entry.
When Ven. Ānanda noticed Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī in such a plight at the gate, he came to her and inquired: “Dear step-mother, why do you look so miserable? Have the royal relatives of the Sakyan and Koliyan families met with tragedies and are ruined? Why are you in an unsightly appearance such as this, with swollen feet, and looking shabby, with a grief-stricken face, standing helplessly and weeping at the gate?”
Whereupon, Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī replied: “Venerable Ānanda, we have been standing at the gate with tears in our eyes for failure to get the Buddha’s permission for women to receive formal ordination, so that they might lead the life of female monastics in this Dispensation.”
Ānanda soothed her by saying a few words of encouragement: “Step-mother, if that is the case, I will go and approach the Realised One for admission of women into the Saṅgha by formal ordination, so that they might lead the life of female monastics in this Dispensation; please remain at the gate until I come back.”
So saying Ven. Ānanda went to the Buddha and made this request: “Most exalted Buddha, step-mother Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī is standing at the gate with her feet swollen, her body covered with dirt and dust, her heart seared, tears streaming down her cheek, and in a miserable plight for failure to obtain permission for womenfolk to receive formal ordination, so that they might lead the life of female monastics within the Dispensation (Sāsana). May I pray solemnly that they be granted permission to receive formal ordination!”
The Buddha said in response: “That is not a proper thing, dear Ānanda, and I advise you not to be interested in the matter of admitting womenfolk into the order as female monastics.”
Ven. Ānanda thought of a new approach, after failure to obtain permission for admission of womenfolk to this Dispensation of the Dhamma-Vinaya for three times, and accordingly went to the Buddha and addressed him: “Most exalted Buddha, could womenfolk become noble persons (ariya) ranging from the fruition stage of a Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner and Arahat, by leading the life of female monastics within the framework of the Dhamma-Vinaya?”
Whereupon, the Buddha replied: “Ānanda, womenfolk could become noble persons ranging from the fruition stage of a Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner and Arahat, by leading the life of female monastics within the framework of the Dhamma-Vinaya.”
“Most exalted Buddha, if womenfolk are capable of attaining the four stages of the attainment by way of their being female monastics within the framework of the Dhamma-Vinaya, may I submit a case that is worthy of the Realised One’s sympathetic consideration in support of my request: Most exalted Buddha, Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī had rendered great service to you besides being your step-mother. She was responsible for feeding and nursing you and for your physical and mental well-being ever since the time of your birth. She used to tidy you up by showering you with scented water twice a day. Indeed, she was exclusively responsible for feeding you with the milk that flowed from her breast.”
Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī gave birth to Prince Nanda a few days after Mahā Māyā Devī had given birth to the Bodhisatta. She entrusted her own child, Nanda, to the care of wet nurses, and she volunteered to act as wet nurse and caretaker to the Bodhisatta; hence this additional weight applied to his request.
“Most exalted Buddha, I humbly pray for the favour of granting permission for womenfolk to receive ordination as female monastics within this framework of the Dhamma-Vinaya.”
Eight Special Rules
The Buddha finally acceded to Ven. Ānanda’s entreaties, saying: “Ānanda, if Mahā Pajāpatī accepts the eight special rules (garu-dhamma), let such acceptance mean her admission to the Saṅgha. The eight special rules are:
1. A female monastic, even if she enjoys a seniority of 100 years in the Saṅgha, must worship, welcome with raised clasped hands and pay respect to a male monastic, even though he may have been a monastic only for a day. This rule is to be strictly adhered to for life.
2. A female monastic must not keep her rains-residence at a place that is not close to one occupied by male monastics. This rule is also to be strictly adhered to for life.
3. Every fortnight, a nun must do two things: Ask the Saṅgha for the Observance day (Uposatha) and approach the Saṅgha for instruction and admonition. This rule is also to be strictly adhered to for life.
4. When the rains-residence period is over, a nun must attend the Invitation (Pavāraṇā) ceremony at both of the male and female monastic assemblies, in each of which she must invite criticism on what has been seen, what has been heard or what has been suspected of her. This rule is also to be strictly adhered to for life.
5. A female monastic who has committed an offence Requiring a Meeting of the Saṅgha (Saṅghādisesa) must undergo penance for a half-month (pakkha-mānatta) in both assemblies of the male and female monastics. This rule is also to be strictly adhered to for life.
6. A female monastic must arrange for ordination by both assemblies of male and female monastics for a woman novice only after two year’s probationary training under her in the observance of six training practices. This rule is also to be strictly adhered to for life.
7. A female monastic should not revile a male monastic for any reason whatsoever. This rule is also to be strictly adhered to for life.
8. Female monastics are prohibited from exhorting or admonishing monastics with effect from today; but male monastics can exhort female monastics when and where necessary. This rule is also to be strictly adhered to for life.
These are the eight special rules. If Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī accepts the eight special rules, let such acceptance mean her admission to the Saṅgha.”
The Buddha thus permitted the establishment of the female Saṅgha after expounding the eight special rules for their guidance.
Ven. Ānanda learned the eight special rules from the Buddha and returned to Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī at the gate and told her what had transpired at his meeting with the Buddha: “Great step-mother, if you accept the eight special rules, such acceptance means your admission to the Saṅgha. He then explained the rules as given to him by the Buddha above, and then he said: “Great step-mother, you can count yourself as one who has been duly admitted to the Saṅgha of female monastics, the moment you adhere strictly to these eight special rules.”
Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī responded: “Ven. Ānanda, just as a young maiden who is in the habit of decorating herself with flowers, with her hair washed and brushed, or a man in like manner, would eagerly receive lilies, jasmine or other flowers, with outstretched hands, for planting on their heads if and when offered; so also I am prepared to adhere to the eight special rules (garu-dhamma), with great delight and due respect till I breathe my last.
Thereupon, Ven. Ānanda approached the Buddha again with profound respect and stood at a suitable distance and addressed him thus: “Most exalted Realised One, Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī has vowed to adhere strictly to the eight special rules as laid down, with due diligence and respect up to the end of her life.”
Her enthusiastic acceptance of the eight special rules constituted automatic admission to the Saṅgha; she became a nun without formal ordination in a boundary hall (sīma). Such procedure of admission into the Saṅgha is known as the higher ordination through taking up the eight special rules (aṭṭha-garu-dhamma-paṭiggahaṇa-upasampadā).
Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī went to the Buddha and sat at a suitable distance with due respect and asked: “Exalted Buddha, what should I do with the 500 princesses of royal blood?” He gave her certain instructions. She left after hearing the Dhamma and paying respects to him.
Then the Buddha told the monastics about his instructions to Mahā Pajāpatī and laid down the following rules: “Monastics, I give permission to monastics to help in ordination of female candidates to become female monastics.”
The monastics proceeded to help in the ordination of the 500 royal princesses with Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī as their preceptor (upajjhāya). They were known as ordained on one side (ekato upasampannā) there being insufficient number of female monastics to participate jointly with monastics in the ordination ceremony.
When the ordination ceremony was over, Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī attained fruition stage of Awakening through hearing the Discourse: ‘In Brief’ (Saṅkhitta-sutta, AN 8.53), and the 500 female monastics
The ordination of distinguished female monastics, such as Princess Yasodharā, Princess Janapadakalyāṇī, Queen Khemā, Dhammadinnā, the wife of a rich man, Bhaddakapila, will be described separately when we come to chapter 44, The Life Stories of the Nuns.