Mahapajapati Gotami
Prajapati Gotami | |
---|---|
Prince Siddhartha with Mahaprajapati Gautami | |
Religion | Buddhism |
Children | Nanda |
Religious career | |
Teacher | Gautama Buddha |
In Buddhist tradition, MahÄpajÄpatÄ« GotamÄ« (Pali; Sanskrit MahÄprajÄpatÄ« GautamÄ«) was the first woman to request the Ordination of women in Buddhism, which she did from Gautama Buddha directly, and the first bhikkhuni (Buddhist nun).[1][2]
Tradition says Maya and MahÄpajÄpatÄ« GotamÄ« were Koliyan princess and sisters of Suppabuddha. MahÄpajÄpatÄ« was both the Buddha's maternal aunt and adoptive mother,[2] raising him after her sister Maya, the Buddha's birth mother, died.[3] MahÄpajÄpatÄ« died at the age of 120.[4]
"The story of the parinirvÄṇa of MahÄprajÄpatÄ« GautamÄ« and her five hundred bhiká¹£uṇī companions was popular and widely transmitted and existed in multiple versions."[5] It is recorded in the various surviving Vinaya traditions, including the PÄli Canon and Sarvastivada and Mulasarvastivada versions.[5]
Early life
An eminent TherÄ«, MahÄpajÄpatÄ« was born at Devadaha in the family of Suppabuddha as the younger sister of MÄyÄ.[6] MahÄpajÄpatÄ« was so called because, at her birth, augurs prophesied[7] that she would have a large following.[7] Both sisters married King Suddhodhana,[3] leader of the ÅšÄkya. When MÄyÄ died seven days after the birth of the Buddha, PajÄpati looked after the Buddha and nursed him.[3] She raised the Buddha and had her own children, Siddhartha's half-brother Nanda and half-sister Nanda.
Ordination of the first woman
When King Suddhodhana, died, Mahapajapati Gotami decided to attain ordination.[3] Mahapajapati Gotami went to the Buddha and asked to be ordained into the Sangha.[2] The Buddha refused[2] and went on to VesÄli. Undaunted, Gotami cut off her hair[2] and donned yellow robes[2] and with a large number of Sakyan ladies followed the Buddha to VesÄli on foot.[2][8] Upon arrival, she repeated her request to be ordained. Ananda, one of the principal disciples and an attendant of the Buddha, met her and offered to intercede with the Buddha on her behalf.[2]
Respectfully he questioned the Buddha, "Lord, are women capable of realising the various stages of sainthood as nuns?""They are, Ananda," said the Buddha.
"If that is so, Lord, then it would be good if women could be ordained as nuns," said Ananda, encouraged by the Buddha's reply.
"If, Ananda, Maha Pajapati Gotami would accept the Eight Conditions it would be regarded that she has been ordained already as a nun."[2]
Gotami agreed to accept the Eight Garudhammas and was accorded the status of the first bhikkhuni.[2] Subsequent women had to undergo full ordination to become nuns.
References
- ↑ "A New Possibility". Congress-on-buddhist-women.org. Retrieved 2010-11-19.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 The Life of the Buddha: (Part Two) The Order of Nuns
- 1 2 3 4 Maha Pajapati Gotami
- ↑ Dhammadharini: Going Forth & Going Out ~ the Parinibbana of Mahapajapati Gotami - Dhammadharini
- 1 2 DhammadinÄ, ParinirvÄṇa of MahÄprajÄpatÄ« GautamÄ« and Her Followers in the MÅ«lasarvÄstivÄda The ParinirvÄṇa of MahÄprajÄpatÄ« GautamÄ« and Her Followers in the MÅ«lasarvÄstivÄda Vinaya Check
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- ↑ Relatives and Disciples of the Buddha (archived 2011)
- 1 2 Women of the Buddhist scriptures: Mahapajapati Gotami
- ↑ Bhikkhunis (archived 2011)
External links
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