On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Park. Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, stood to one side, and said to him:
“Bhante, it would be good if women could obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
“Enough, Gotamī! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
A second time ... A third time Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī said to the Blessed One: “Bhante, it would be good if women could obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
“Enough, Gotamī! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, thinking: “The Blessed One does not allow the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness,” miserable and saddened, wept with a tearful face. She then paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping the right side toward him, and departed.
Having stayed in Kapilavatthu as long as he wanted, the Blessed One set out on tour toward Vesālī. Wandering on tour, he eventually arrived at Vesālī, where he dwelled in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood.
Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī had her hair cut off, put on ochre robes, and together with a number of Sakyan women, set out toward Vesālī. Eventually, she reached Vesālī and [went to] the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood. Then, with her feet swollen and her body covered with dust, miserable and saddened, weeping with a tearful face, she stood outside the entrance. The Venerable Ānanda saw her standing there in such a condition and said to her:
“Gotamī, why are you standing outside the entrance with your feet swollen and your body covered with dust, miserable and saddened, weeping with a tearful face?”
“I do so, Bhante Ānanda, because the Blessed One does not allow the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness.”
“Well then, Gotamī, you wait right here [a moment] while I ask the Blessed One to grant women the going forth.”
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Bhante, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī is standing outside the entrance with her feet swollen and her body covered with dust, miserable and saddened, weeping with a tearful face, because the Blessed One does not allow the going forth of women. Bhante, it would be good if women could obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
“Enough, Ānanda! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
A second time ... A third time the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “Bhante, it would be good if women could obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
“Enough, Ānanda! Do not favor the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
Then it occurred to the Venerable Ānanda: “The Blessed One does not allow the going forth of women from the household life into homelessness. Let me ask the Blessed One for the going forth of women in some other way.”
Then the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “Bhante, if a woman were to go forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, would it be possible for her to realize the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of nonreturning, and the fruit of arahantship?”
“It would be, Ānanda.
“If, Bhante, it would be possible for a woman to realize the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, and the fruit of arahantship, [and considering that] Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī had been very helpful to the Blessed One — having been his maternal aunt, wet-nurse, and foster mother who nurtured him with breast milk when his mother died — it would be good if women could obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.”
“If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī accepts eight principles of respect, let that itself be her full ordination.
(1) “A bhikkhunī who has been ordained for a hundred years should pay homage to a bhikkhu who has been ordained that same day, should rise up for him, reverentially salute him, and behave courteously toward him. This principle should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(2) “A bhikkhunī should not enter upon the rains in a place where there are no bhikkhus. This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(3) “Every half-month a bhikkhunī should ask the Saṅgha of bhikkhus about two things: about [the day] of the uposatha, and about coming for the exhortation. This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(4) “When a bhikkhunī has observed the rains, she should invite correction before both Saṅghas in regard to three things: in regard to anything seen, heard, or suspected. This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(5) “A bhikkhunī who has committed a grave offense should observe a half-month’s penalty period before both Saṅghas. This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(6) “A probationer who has completed two years of training in the six principles should seek full ordination from both Saṅghas. This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(7) “A bhikkhunī must in no way insult or revile a bhikkhu. This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
(8) “From today on, Ānanda, bhikkhunīs are prohibited from admonishing bhikkhus, but bhikkhus are not prohibited from admonishing bhikkhunīs. This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
“If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī accepts these eight principles of respect, let that itself be her full ordination.”
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having learned these eight principles of respect from the Blessed One, went to Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī and said to her: “If, Gotamī, you accept eight principles of respect, that itself will be your full ordination:
(1) “A bhikkhunī who has been ordained for a hundred years should pay homage to a bhikkhu who has been ordained that same day, should rise up for him, reverentially salute him, and behave properly toward him. This principle should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts... .
(8) “From today bhikkhunīs are prohibited from admonishing bhikkhus, but bhikkhus are not prohibited from admonishing bhikkhunīs. This principle, too, should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated, and should not be transgressed as long as life lasts.
“If, Gotamī, you accept these eight principles of respect, that itself will be your full ordination.”
“Bhante Ānanda, if a woman or a man — young, youthful, and fond of ornaments, with head bathed — obtains a garland of blue lotuses, jasmine flowers, or lilies, she or he would accept it with both hands and place it on top of her or his head. In the same way, I accept these eight principles of respect as not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.”
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said: “Bhante, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī has accepted the eight principles of respect as things not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.”
“If, Ānanda, women had not obtained the going forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, the spiritual life would have been of long duration; the good Dhamma would have stood firm even for a thousand years. However, Ānanda, because women have gone forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, now the spiritual life will not be of long duration; the good Dhamma will last only five hundred years.
“Just as, Ānanda, prowling burglars easily assail those families that have many women and few men, so in whatever Dhamma and discipline women obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness, that spiritual life does not last long.
“Just as, Ānanda, when a field of hill rice has ripened, if the bleaching disease attacks it, that field of hill rice does not last long, so in whatever Dhamma and discipline women obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness, that spiritual life does not last long.
“Just as, Ānanda, when a field of sugar cane has ripened, if the rusting disease attacks it, that field of sugar cane does not last long, so in whatever Dhamma and discipline women obtain the going forth from the household life into homelessness, that spiritual life does not last long.
“Just as, Ānanda, a man might build a dyke around a large reservoir as a precaution so that the water would not overflow, so too, as a precaution I have prescribed for bhikkhunīs the eight principles of respect as things not to be transgressed as long as life lasts.”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Bhante, how many qualities should a bhikkhu possess to be agreed upon as an exhorter of bhikkhunīs?”
“Ānanda, a bhikkhu should possess eight qualities to be agreed upon as an exhorter of bhikkhunīs. What eight?
(1) “Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu is virtuous... . [as in 8:2 §4] ... Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them.
(2) “He has learned much ... [as in 8:2 §5] ... and penetrated well by view.
(3) “Both Pātimokkhas have been well transmitted to him in detail, well analyzed, well mastered, well determined in terms of the rules and their detailed explication.
(4) “He is a good speaker with a good delivery; he is gifted with speech that is polished, clear, articulate, expressive of the meaning.
(5) “He is capable of instructing, encouraging, inspiring, and gladdening the Saṅgha of bhikkhunīs with a Dhamma talk.
(6) “He is pleasing and agreeable to most of the bhikkhunīs.
(7) “He has never before committed a grave offense against a woman wearing the ochre robe who has gone forth under the Blessed One.
(8) “He has seniority of twenty years or more.
“A bhikkhu should possess these eight qualities to be agreed upon as an exhorter of bhikkhunīs.”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood. Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, stood to one side, and said to him: “Bhante, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, heedful, ardent, and resolute.”
“Gotamī, those things of which you might know: ‘These things lead (1) to passion, not to dispassion; (2) to bondage, not to detachment; (3) to building up, not to dismantling; (4) to strong desires, not to fewness of desires; (5) to non-contentment, not to contentment; (6) to company, not to solitude; (7) to laziness, not to the arousing of energy; (8) to being difficult to support, not to being easy to support,’ you should definitely recognize: ‘This is not the Dhamma; this is not the discipline; this is not the teaching of the Teacher.’
But, Gotamī, those things of which you might know: ‘These things lead (1) to dispassion, not to passion; (2) to detachment, not to bondage; (3) to dismantling, not to building up; (4) to fewness of desires, not to strong desires; (5) to contentment, not to non-contentment; (6) to solitude, not to company; (7) to the arousing of energy, not to laziness; (8) to being easy to support, not to being difficult to support,’ you should definitely recognize: ‘This is the Dhamma; this is the discipline; this is the teaching of the Teacher.’”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Koliyans near the Koliyan town named Kakkarapatta. There the young Koliyan Dīghajāṇu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Bhante, we are laymen enjoying sensual pleasures, living at home in a house full of children. We use sandalwood from Kāsi; we wear garlands, scents, and unguents; we receive gold and silver. Let the Blessed One teach us the Dhamma in a way that will lead to our welfare and happiness in this present life and in future lives.”
“There are, Byagghapajja, these four things that lead to the welfare and happiness of a clansman in this present life. What four? Accomplishment in initiative, accomplishment in protection, good friendship, and balanced living.
(1) “And what is accomplishment in initiative? Here, whatever may be the means by which a clansman earns his living — whether by farming, trade, raising cattle, archery, government service, or some other craft — he is skillful and diligent; he possesses sound judgment about it in order to carry out and arrange it properly. This is called accomplishment in initiative.
(2) “And what is accomplishment in protection? Here, a clansman sets up protection and guard over the wealth he has acquired by initiative and energy, amassed by the strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous wealth righteously gained, thinking: ‘How can I prevent kings and thieves from taking it, fire from burning it, floods from sweeping it off, and displeasing heirs from taking it?’ This is called accomplishment in protection.
(3) “And what is good friendship? Here, in whatever village or town a clansman lives, he associates with householders or their sons — whether young but of mature virtue, or old and of mature virtue — who are accomplished in faith, virtuous behavior, generosity, and wisdom; he converses with them and engages in discussions with them. Insofar as they are accomplished in faith, he emulates them with respect to their accomplishment in faith; insofar as they are accomplished in virtuous behavior, he emulates them with respect to their accomplishment in virtuous behavior; insofar as they are accomplished in generosity, he emulates them with respect to their accomplishment in generosity; insofar as they are accomplished in wisdom, he emulates them with respect to their accomplishment in wisdom. This is called good friendship.
(4) “And what is balanced living? Here, a clansman knows his income and expenditures and leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too frugal, [aware]: ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditures rather than the reverse.’ Just as an appraiser or his apprentice, holding up a scale, knows: ‘By so much it has dipped down, by so much it has gone up,’ so a clansman knows his income and expenditures and leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too frugal, [aware]: ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditures rather than the reverse.’
“If this clansman has a small income but lives luxuriously, others would say of him: ‘This clansman eats his wealth just like an eater of figs.’ But if he has a large income but lives sparingly, others would say of him: ‘This clansman may even starve himself.’ But it is called balanced living when a clansman knows his income and expenditures and leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too frugal, [aware]: ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditures rather than the reverse.’
“The wealth thus amassed has four sources of dissipation: womanizing, drunkenness, gambling, and bad friendship, bad companionship, bad comradeship. Just as if there were a large reservoir with four inlets and four outlets, and a man would close the inlets and open the outlets, and sufficient rain does not fall, one could expect the water in the reservoir to decrease rather than increase; so the wealth thus amassed has four sources of dissipation: womanizing ... bad comradeship.
“The wealth thus amassed has four sources of accretion: one avoids womanizing, drunkenness, and gambling, and cultivates good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship. Just as if there were a large reservoir with four inlets and four outlets, and a man would open the inlets and close the outlets, and sufficient rain falls; one could expect the water in the reservoir to increase rather than decrease, so the wealth amassed has four sources of accretion: one avoids womanizing ... and cultivates good friendship.
“These are the four things that lead to the welfare and happiness of a clansman in this very life.
“There are, Byagghapajja, these four [other] things that lead to a clansman’s welfare and happiness in future lives. What four? Accomplishment in faith, accomplishment in virtuous behavior, accomplishment in generosity, and accomplishment in wisdom.
(5) “And what is accomplishment in faith? Here, a clansman is endowed with faith. He places faith in the enlightenment of the Tathāgata thus: ‘The Blessed One is an arahant ... teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.’ This is called accomplishment in faith.
(6) “And what is accomplishment in virtuous behavior? Here, a clansman abstains from the destruction of life, from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, and from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness. This is called accomplishment in virtuous behavior.
(7) “And what is accomplishment in generosity? Here, a clansman dwells at home with a heart devoid of the stain of miserliness, freely generous, openhanded, delighting in relinquishment, one devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing. This is called accomplishment in generosity.
(8) “And what is accomplishment in wisdom? Here, a clansman is wise; he possesses the wisdom that discerns arising and passing away, which is noble and penetrative and leads to the complete destruction of suffering. This is called accomplishment in wisdom.
“These are the four [other] things that lead to the welfare and happiness of a clansman in future lives.”
Enterprising in his occupations,
heedful in his arrangements,
balanced in his way of living,
he safeguards the wealth he earns.
Endowed with faith, accomplished in virtue,
charitable and devoid of miserliness,
he constantly purifies the path
that leads to safety in future lives.
Thus these eight qualities
of the faithful seeker of the household life
are said by the one who is truly named
to lead to happiness in both states:
to good and welfare in this very life,
and to happiness in future lives.
Thus for those dwelling at home,
their generosity and merit increase.
Then the brahmin Ujjaya approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Blessed One:
“Master Gotama, I wish to go abroad. Let Master Gotama teach me the Dhamma about things that would lead to my welfare and happiness in this present life and in future lives.”
[What follows is identical with 8:54, inclusive of the four verses, but addressed to the brahmin.]
“Bhikkhus, (1) ‘peril’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (2) ‘Suffering’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (3) ‘Disease’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (4) ‘A boil’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (5) ‘A dart’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (6) ‘A tie’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (7) ‘A swamp’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (8) ‘A womb’ is a designation for sensual pleasures.
“And why, bhikkhus, is ‘peril’ a designation for sensual pleasures? One excited by sensual lust, bound by desire and lust, is not freed from the peril pertaining to this present life or from the peril pertaining to future lives; therefore ‘peril’ is a designation for sensual pleasures.
“And why is ‘suffering’ ... ‘disease’ ... ‘a boil’ ... ‘a dart’ ... ‘a tie’ ... ‘a swamp’ ... ‘a womb’ a designation for sensual pleasures? One excited by sensual lust, bound by desire and lust, is not freed from the womb pertaining to this present life or from the womb pertaining to future lives; therefore ‘a womb’ is a designation for sensual pleasures.”
Peril, suffering, and disease,
a boil, a dart, and a tie,
a swamp and a womb:
these describe the sensual pleasures
to which the worldling is attached.
Being immersed in what is enjoyable,
he again goes to the womb.
But when a bhikkhu is ardent
and does not neglect clear comprehension,
in such a way he transcends
this miserable bog;
he surveys this trembling population
that has fallen into birth and old age.
57 (7) Worthy of Offerings (1)
“Bhikkhus, possessing eight qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What eight?
(1) “Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them.
(2) “He has learned much and penetrated well by view.
(3) “He has good friends, good companions, good comrades.
(4) “He is one of right view, possessing a right perspective.
(5) “He gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are dwellings in happiness in this very life.
(6) “He recollects his manifold past abodes, that is, one birth, two births ... [as in 8:11] thus he recollects his manifold past abodes with their aspects and details.
(7) “With the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human ... [as in 8:11] he understands how beings fare in accordance with their kamma.
(8) “With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it.
“Possessing these eight qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
58 (8) Worthy of Offerings (2)
“Bhikkhus, possessing eight qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What eight?
(1) “Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them.
(2) “He has learned much and penetrated well by view.
(3) “He has aroused energy; he is strong, firm in exertion, and has not cast off the duty of cultivating wholesome qualities.
(4) “He is a forest dweller, one who resorts to remote lodgings.
(5) “He has vanquished discontent and delight; he overcame discontent whenever it arose.
(6) “He has vanquished fear and terror; he overcame fear and terror whenever they arose.
(7) “He gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are dwellings in happiness in this very life.
(8) “With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it.
“Possessing these eight qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
“Bhikkhus, these eight persons are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What eight? The stream-enterer, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of stream-entry; the once-returner, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of once-returning; the non-returner, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of non-returning; the arahant, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of arahantship. These eight persons, bhikkhus, are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
The four practicing the way
and the four established in the fruit:
this is the upright Saṅgha —
composed in wisdom and virtuous behavior.
For people intent on sacrifice,
for living beings seeking merit,
making merit that ripens in the acquisitions,
what is given to the Saṅgha bears great fruit.
“Bhikkhus, these eight persons are worthy of gifts ... an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What eight? The stream-enterer, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of stream-entry ... the arahant, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of arahantship. These eight persons, bhikkhus, are worthy of gifts ... an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
The four practicing the way
and the four established in the fruit:
the eight persons among beings —
this is the foremost Saṅgha.
For people intent on sacrifice,
for living beings seeking merit,
making merit that ripens in the acquisitions,
what is given here bears great fruit.