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as was given to men). According to the Vinaya Pitaka, there was no provision for taking women as nuns in the Buddhist order. When and how women were accepted in the Buddhist order is, however, described in the said Pitaka as follows:
Once the Buddha was lodged at the Nyagrodha guest house in Kapilvastu. His aunt Prajapati came to him and said,
'Bhante! Please accept women in the order".
Said the Buddha,
'But I do not like the idea".
Gautami repeated her request for a second and for a third time, without any favourable outcome.
After some time, when the Buddha was at V: Gautami dressed herself like a nun, and, followed by many Sākya women, came to the guest house where the Buddha was. Ananda saw her. A profound earnestness for joining the monastic order was revealed in all her limbs. Ananda took pity on her. He came to the Buddha and said,
"Bhante ! Please give a place to women in the order".
He repeated his request for three times, but the Buddha did not give his consent. At last, he said,
"Bhante ! Here is Mahāprajāpati Gautami who did breast-feeding to the Lord at the premature demise of his mother. She must be accepted".
At this, the Buddha yielded. He accepted Ananda's request. Certain rules were made for the nuns in the monastic order and Gautami was accepted in it(64).
Notes on Chapter Eighteen
(1)
Niśitha Cūrni, gātha 6265; Vyavahāra. Sutra, u.10.20 and 21; Vyayahāra Bhāsya, U.7. 202-03.
