Buddha accedes to request for ordination of women

 

September 18, 2013 – The Island
By Walter Wijenayake

 

Today is the full moon Poya day of Binara in the 2557th year, since the passing away of Sakyamuni Siddhartha Gauthama Buddha.

This particular full moon Poya Day falls within the traditional Vassana (retreat for the rainy season) period for the High Ordained Bhikkhus.

It is significant that the Buddha, on a full moon Poya Day of Binara, in the Kutagara sala of Vesalipura, acceded to the request for ordination, made for the fourth time by Queen Maha Prajapathi Gothami, who became the first Buddhist nun together with 500 princesses and established the Bhikkhuni Sasana. This was at the intervention of Ven. Ananda Maha Thera – the Dharma Bhandagarika of the Gauthama Buddha.

However, the Buddha gave womenfolk permission to enter the order subject to observances of eight chief precepts (ashta garu dharma).

1. A Bhikkhuni has to worship a day old higher ordained Bhikkhu even if she was 100 years old in higher ordination. She should get up from her seat and show her due respects to the Bhikkhus who observe the major precepts.

2. A Bhikkuni should not observe the rainy season precepts in an area where there are no Bhikkhus.

3. Every fortnight a Bhikkuni has to request for ‘Pohoya kamma’ from the Bhikkus. She has to know the time she should obtain advice from the Bhikkhus.

4. When a Bhikkuni concludes her rainy seasonal precepts observation, she has to do it in front of both Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis.

5. A Bhikkhuni who has committed a major mistake should confess it in the presence of both Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis.

6. A Bhikkhuni has to undergo two years as a special trainee and then become a higher ordained Bhikkhuni in presence of both Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis.

7. A Bhikkhuni should not scold a Bhikkhu under any circumstances.

8. A Bhikkhuni should not advise Bhikkhus, however, Bhikkhus should advise Bhikkhunis.

The main theme during this month, especially on this Poya Day is meditation. The members of the Maha Sangha are expected, on this particular day, to meditate and observe the rules of the Vinaya (discipline) to the very letter to show their unstinted devotion to the Dhamma preached by the Gauthama Buddha. He preached Dhammachakkapavattna Sutta in the Deer Park at Isipathana of Benares to the Pasvaga Mahanun,––Kondanna, Baddhiya, Vappa, Mahanama and Assaji– who were in quest of truth.

Binara is considered an important month as it was also during such a month that the Buddha visited Thavuthisa Heaven to preach Abhidhamma to his mother (Mathru Divya Raja) and the celestial multitude.

It was during the reign of King Devanam Piyatissa (237-277) the Sangamitta Therani, the daughter of the great Emperor Asoka in India, as well as the sister of Arahat Maha Mahinda Thera came to this country and established the Bhikkuni Sasana.

The Buddha, while spending the eleventh customary rainy season of three months, since his Enlightenment, in a Brahmin village known as Ekanala, one day led the Bhikkhus to the nearby paddy field of Magadha Kashetra. Having pointed out to them the arrangement of ridges separating the paddy beds, he advised them to adopt the same pattern for stitching their robes by joining pieces of cloth together.