Verses on Dhamma 26.8: 8. Mahāpajāpatigotamīvatthu

26.8.p1

Yassa kāyena vācāyāti imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ satthā jetavane viharanto mahāpajāpatiṃ gotamiṃ ārabbha kathesi.

He that offends not by act. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī.

26.8.p2

Bhagavatā hi anuppanne vatthusmiṃ paññatte aṭṭha garudhamme maṇḍanakajātiyo puriso surabhipupphadāmaṃ viya sirasā sampaṭicchitvā saparivārā mahāpajāpati gotamī upasampadaṃ labhi, añño tassā upajjhāyo vā ācariyo vā natthi. Evaṃ laddhūpasampadaṃ theriṃ ārabbha aparena samayena kathaṃ samuṭṭhāpesuṃ ‘‘mahāpajāpatiyā gotamiyā ācariyupajjhāyā na paññāyanti, sahattheneva kāsāyāni gaṇhī’’ti. Evañca pana vatvā bhikkhuniyo kukkuccāyantiyo tāya saddhiṃ neva uposathaṃ na pavāraṇaṃ karonti, tā gantvā tathāgatassapi tamatthaṃ ārocesuṃ. Satthā tāsaṃ kathaṃ sutvā ‘‘mayā mahāpajāpatiyā gotamiyā aṭṭha garudhammā dinnā, ahamevassācariyo, ahameva upajjhāyo. Kāyaduccaritādivirahitesu khīṇāsavesu kukkuccaṃ nāma na kātabba’’nti vatvā dhammaṃ desento imaṃ gāthamāha –

For previous to the occasion of the public promulgation of the Eight Cardinal Precepts, the Exalted One proclaimed them privately, and Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī accepted them by bowing her head, just as a person accustomed to the wearing of ornaments accepts a garland of fragrant flowers by bowing his head. So likewise did all the members of her retinue. No preceptor or teacher did she have other than the Exalted One himself. Thus did she receive admission to full membership in the Order.

On a subsequent occasion the members of her retinue commented on the manner in which this nun was admitted to full membership in the Order, saying, "Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī has no teacher or preceptor; by herself alone and with her own hand she received the yellow robes." On hearing this, the other nuns were dissatisfied and thenceforth refused to keep Fast-day or to celebrate the Terminal Festival with her. And going to the Tathāgata, they reported the matter to him. The Teacher listened to what they had to say and then replied, "I myself conferred the Eight Cardinal Precepts on Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī. I alone am her teacher; I alone am her preceptor. They that have renounced the sins of act and speech and thought, they that have rid themselves of the evil passions, such persons should never entertain feelings of dissatisfaction." And preaching the Law, he pronounced the following Stanza,

26.8.391

‘‘Yassa kāyena vācāya, manasā natthi dukkaṭaṃ;
Saṃvutaṃ tīhi ṭhānehi, tamahaṃ brūmi brāhmaṇa’’nti.

391. He that offends not by act or speech or thought,
He that controls himself in these three respects, that man I call a Brahman.

26.8.391_2

Tattha dukkaṭanti sāvajjaṃ dukkhudrayaṃ apāyasaṃvattanikaṃ kammaṃ. Tīhi ṭhānehīti etehi kāyādīhi tīhi kāraṇehi kāyaduccaritādipavesanivāraṇatthāya dvāraṃ pihitaṃ, taṃ ahaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ vadāmīti attho.

26.8.391_3

Desanāvasāne bahū sotāpattiphalādīni pāpuṇiṃsūti.

26.8.391_4

Mahāpajāpatigotamīvatthu aṭṭhamaṃ.