Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c25.39

c25.39

That some of the nuns qualified themselves in the knowledge of the sacred texts so far as to be accepted as the teachers of other junior nuns is evident from a passage in the *Chullavagga* [x, 8], which mentions that a Bhikkhuṇī was the pupil of the Bhikkhuṇī Uppalavaṇṇā. Regarding their studies, the same passage informs us that the Bhikkhuṇī "followed the Blessed One for seven years, learning the Vinaya, but she, being forgetful, lost it as fast as she received it". It was then ordained that Bhikkhus should teach the Vinaya to Bhikkhuṇīs.