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, how is it that women have received the going forth from home into homelessness in the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata? If they had not received it, 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.

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.