Cullavagga - Tenth Khandhaka: Chapter 25

1. Now at that time a certain woman who had already conceived, but did not know
it, was received into the Order among the Bhikkhunîs. Afterwards her womb moved
within her 2. Then that Bhikkhunî thought: 'How shall I now conduct myself
towards this child?'
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'I allow her, O Bhikkhus, to bring it up till it have attained to years of
discretion 3.'
Then the Bhikkhunî thought: 'It is not permissible for me to live alone, nor for
any other Bhikkhunî to live with a male child. What course ought I to pursue?'
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'I allow the Bhikkhunîs, O Bhikkhus, to depute any one Bhikkhunî, and give her
as a companion to that (first-mentioned) Bhikkhunî.'
p. 365
'And thus, O Bhikkhus, is she to be appointed: First that Bhikkhunî ought to be
asked (whether she be willing to undertake the duty). After she has been asked,
a learned and competent Bhikkhunî ought to lay the motion before the Samgha,
saying:
'"Let the Samgha, venerable Ladies, hear me. If it seem meet to the Samgha, let
the Samgha depute N. N. as a companion to M. M. That is the motion.
'"Let the Samgha,"' [&c., as usual, to the end of the Kammavâkâ.]
2. Then that companion Bhikkhunî thought: 'Now how should I conduct myself
towards this child?'
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'I prescribe that the Bhikkhunîs, O Bhikkhus, conduct themselves towards that
child precisely as they would towards other men, save only as regards the
sleeping under the same roof 1.'
3. Now at that time a certain Bhikkhunî, who had been guilty of a grievous
offence, was living subject to the Mânatta penance 2. Then that Bhikkhunî
thought: 'It is not permissible for me to live alone, and it is not permissible
for any other Bhikkhunî to live with me. What now ought I to do?'
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
I allow the Bhikkhunîs, O Bhikkhus, to depute any one Bhikkhunî, and to give her
as a companion to that Bhikkhunî. And thus, O Bhikkhus, ought
p. 366
she to be deputed [&c., as in last section but one, down to the end of the
Kammavâkâ].'



Footnotes
364:2 There is a touching story founded on a similar incident which is given as
the Introductory Story to No. 12 of the Jâtakas, translated in Rh. D.'s
'Buddhist Birth Stories,' pp. 199-205. By the 61st Bhikkhunî Pâcittiya it is
lawful or unlawful to initiate a pregnant woman according as she is unconscious
or conscious of the fact of her conception.
364:3 Viññutam pâpunâti. That is, no doubt, to puberty. Compare the opening
phrases of the Introductory Story referred to in the last note (Jâtaka I, 231)
and also Jâtaka III, 437.
365:1 Sâgâram; on which Buddhaghosa has no note.
365:2 For what this implied, see Cullavagga II, 1, 2, and II, 6, 1, and compare
the 5th Garudhamma above, X, 1, 4.