BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

Buddhist Monastic Code IChapter 8.3Pācittiya: The Exhortation Chapter21. Should any bhikkhu, unauthorized, exhort the bhikkhunīs, it isto be confessed."Now at that time, elder bhikkhus exhorting the bhikkhunīs became recipients ofrobes, alms, lodgings, and medicines for the sick. (According to the Commentary, ifa bhikkhu gave a good exhortation to the bhikkhunīs, they would tell their supporters,who in turn would provide the exhorter with requisites.) The thought occurred tosome group-of-six bhikkhus: 'At present, elder bhikkhus exhorting the bhikkhunīshave become recipients of robes, alms, lodgings, and medicines for the sick. Let'sexhort the bhikkhunīs, too.' So, having approached the bhikkhunīs, they said, 'Come,sisters, go to us too, and we'll exhort you as well.'"So the bhikkhunīs went to the group-of-six bhikkhus and, on arrival, having boweddown, sat to one side. Then the group-of-six bhikkhus, after giving just a triflingDhamma talk and spending the day with animal talk, dismissed the bhikkhunīs: 'Youmay go, sisters.'"Then the bhikkhunīs went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed to him,stood to one side. As they were standing there, the Blessed One said to them: 'Ihope the exhortation was effective, bhikkhunīs.'"'Venerable sir, from where would the exhortation be effective? The group-of-sixbhikkhus, giving just a trifling Dhamma talk, dismissed us after spending the daywith animal talk.'"When Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, the Buddha's aunt and stepmother, asked him toestablish an order of bhikkhunīs, he did so on the condition that she and all futurebhikkhunīs accept eight rules of respect (garu-dhamma). (This term is sometimestranslated as "heavy rules" or "important rules," but the Commentary explains it asmeaning vows that the bhikkhunīs are to accept with respect.) In short:1) Even a bhikkhunī who has been ordained over a century must payhomage to a bhikkhu ordained that very day.2) A bhikkhunī must not spend the Rains in a residence where there is nobhikkhu (within half a league, says the Commentary).3) Every half month a bhikkhunī should expect two things from theCommunity of bhikkhus: the date of the Pāṭimokkha recitation andpermission to approach for an exhortation.285