The Eight Rules

The account appears in the disciplinary collections of several schools and its shape is the same in each. Mahapajapati Gotami, the Buddha's foster mother, asks for the admission of women to the homeless life. She is refused, asks again, and is refused again. She and a company of women cut their hair, put on ochre robes and follow on foot to where the Buddha is staying. Ananda intercedes, asks whether a woman who goes forth is capable of the fruits of the path, and receives the answer that she is. The admission is then granted on condition that eight rules of respect be accepted for life.

The eight are structural rather than moral. A nun ordained a hundred years must rise, bow and pay respect to a monk ordained that day. Nuns must not spend the rains retreat in a place where no monks are available. Twice a month they must ask the monks' community for the observance day and request an exhortation. At the end of the rains the invitation to be admonished must be made before both communities. A nun who has committed a grave offence must undergo the period of discipline before both communities. Ordination must be sought from both communities. A nun may never abuse or revile a monk. And nuns may not admonish monks, while monks may admonish nuns.

The same account has the Buddha add a prediction that the true teaching will now last five hundred years rather than a thousand.