Mahapajapati Gotami – the first Buddhist nun
A statue of Mahapajapati Gotami at Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, US
Mahapajapati Gotami was one of the most important disciples of Buddha Shakyamuni as she was the first ever female to be ordained by Buddha Shakyamuni and the founding member of the nuns’ monastic order (bhikkhuni Sangha). She was also the aunt and stepmother of Buddha Shakyamuni.
Mahapajapati and Queen Maya (who was the birth mother of Buddha Shakyamuni) were sisters of a Sakyan royal family in Devadaha, in the Himalayan region. When Mahapajapati Gotami was born, it was prophesied that she would become a leader of many people when she grew up.
Three of Mahapajapati Gotami’s previous lives were very significant in creating the cause which led her to become the founding member of the nuns’ monastic order.
- She was born in Hamsavati during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. She witnessed Buddha Padumuttara appointing a nun to a principal position and made the aspiration to achieve the same.
- In one of Mahapajapati Gotami’s previous lives, she was born a slave near Deer Park in Vaishali (Sarnath, Varanasi). One day, five pratyekabuddhas came to ask the laypersons to help them prepare for the Rain Retreat, including building the retreat huts. All the rich people refused to help. Even though poor, Mahapajapati Gotami led the other 500 female slaves to provide what the five pratyekabuddhas needed. It was also this good deed that bound the 500 female slaves karmically together with Mahapajapati Gotami. In their future lives, these 500 female slaves followed Mahapajapati Gotami in requesting Buddha Shakyamuni to allow them ordination into the monastic order.
- Once, Mahapajapati Gotami was born as a weaver’s wife near Varanasi prior to Buddha Shakyamuni’s time. When the rich people refused to make offerings to the 500 pratyekabuddhas, she took the lead and organised the offerings to be made to them.
Buddha Shakyamuni & Mahapajapati Gotami
Buddha Shakyamuni was born to Queen Maya approximately 2600 years ago. Queen Maya was married to King Suddhodana in the neighbouring region of Kapilavastu. After 25 years of marriage, she still could not bear an heir to King Suddhodana. As a result, Queen Maya’s younger sister Mahapajapati Gotami was arranged to marry King Suddhodana in the hope that she could bear a child as the successor to the King. Miraculously, after Mahapajapati Gotami was married to King Suddhodana, both sisters were pregnant at the same time. According to the Indian tradition, Queen Maya had to return to her parents’ house to deliver the baby. While on her journey back to her parents’ house, Queen Maya stopped by a beautiful garden, it was here that Queen Maya gave birth to Buddha Shakyamuni, supported by a sala tree.
After Buddha Shakyamuni was born, he immediately took seven steps, and with each step that he made, a beautiful lotus flower rose out under his feet. The newborn baby was named Siddhartha, meaning he who accomplishes his aim. Sadly, seven days after Queen Maya gave birth to Prince Siddhartha, she passed away.
Soon after the birth of Prince Siddhartha, Mahapajapati Gotami gave birth to her son Nanda. After Queen Maya’s death, Mahapajapati Gotami took the responsibility to raise Prince Siddhartha as if he was her child while Nanda was given to a wet nurse.
Mahapajapati Gotami’s Request to be Ordained as a Nun
After Prince Siddhartha had attained enlightenment and became the Buddha (one who is awakened), he went back to the palace to give Dharma teachings to his parents when he found out that his father, King Suddhodana was ill. After seeing how Buddha Shakyamuni had transformed, the king and the queen became the students of Buddha Shakyamuni. Seven days later, King Suddhodana attained Arhatship and passed away. Not only did the parents of Buddha Shakyamuni become his students, his stepbrother Nanda and his son Rahula also became his students and followed his footsteps into the monastic life.
Once, there was a water dispute between the Sakyans and the Koliyans as to the right to take water from the river Rohini, now called Rowai River. Buddha Shakyamuni was very compassionate to resolve the dispute. Immediately, 500 men renounced and joined the monastic life. Seeing this, Mahapajapati Gotami together with the 500 wives of the men who had joined the monastic life, quickly asked Buddha Shakyamuni for the first time to be ordained as Sangha members. However, Buddha Shakyamuni did not agree and went back to Vaishali.
Even though rejected, the very determined Mahapajapati Gotami did not give up. She led her 500 female followers to the barber and had their heads shaved. Putting on yellow robes, they followed Buddha Shakyamuni to Vaishali on foot, to request for ordination again. When all of them arrived in Vaishali, their feet were wounded, and their bodies were dusty and tears were streaming down their faces. Mahapajapati Gotami and her 500 followers again requested Buddha Shakyamuni for ordination. Unfortunately, the request was rejected again.
Buddha Shakyamuni’s close disciple and cousin, Ananda saw the determination of Mahapajapati Gotami and the other 500 women, and so he went and talked to Buddha Shakyamuni again on their behalf. Ananda asked Buddha Shakyamuni if women were capable of gaining realisation in spiritual practice, which the Buddha answered yes. Ananda then went on to propose to Buddha Shakyamuni that women should also be given the opportunity and right to be ordained as Sangha members. This time, Buddha Shakyamuni agreed, under the condition that Mahapajapati Gotami has to accept the Eight Garudhammas. With her acceptance, Buddha Sakyamuni gave ordination to Mahapajapati Gotami and her 500 followers, and thus, the first female monastic order was established. The kind Licchavi Kings built a monastery for Mahapajapati Gotami and the 500 nuns as a place for their practice.
The Passing of Mahapajapati Gotami
The statue of Mahapajapati Gotami at Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, US
After Buddha Shakyamuni gave Mahapajapati Gotami full ordination, she was given a meditation instruction by the Buddha and not long after, she attained Arhatship. The 500 female followers of Mahapajapati Gotami who were ordained at the same time as her also achieved Arhatship at the end of the discourse to Nandaka. When Mahapajapati Gotami was 120 years old, she decided it was time for her to enter Nirvana, and the 500 nuns also shared the same wish. At this moment, the earth trembled violently, there were thunderstorms, and the guardian spirits of the bhikkhunis monastery were wailing sadly.
Mahapajapati Gotami (click to enlarge)
Mahapajapati Gotami went on to ask for permission from Buddha Shakyamuni and his close disciples, Rahula, Ananda, and Nanda to enter Nirvana. Before granting Mahapajapati Gotami her wish to enter Nirvana, Buddha Shakyamuni requested Mahapajapati Gotami to show her supernatural power to those who had doubts in women’s ability to attain realisations and enlightenment. Mahapajapati Gotami then exhibited many instances of supernatural power, including becoming many from one and many becoming one; disappearing and appearing again; passing through a wall or mountain. She also made six suns arise simultaneously, releasing intense heat in the atmosphere. After this, Mahapajapati Gotami and the 500 nuns were given the permission and blessings to enter Nirvana by Buddha Shakyamuni. Buddha Shakyamuni then walked Mahapajapati Gotami off until the gate of the monastery where Mahapajapati Gotami paid homage to Buddha Shakyamuni by kissing his feet for the last time.
Mahapajapati Gotami and the 500 nuns then returned to their monastery and prepared to enter Nirvana. Upon hearing that Mahapajapati Gotami and the 500 nuns were preparing to enter Nirvana, many male and female laypersons came to pay their last respect to them. After sending all of them home, Mahapajapati Gotami and the 500 nuns went into meditation and finally entered Nirvana. As soon as this happened, the earth shook, meteors and celestial flowers were seen falling from the sky, thunders rumbled, and divine beings wailed for the loss of the Noble Ones.
A statue of Mahapajapati Gotami (click to enlarge)
After the passing of Mahapajapati Gotami and the 500 nuns, Ananda was sent to inform the monks. When the funeral took place, men, devas, nagas, asuras, and Brahmas led the procession, followed by the golden hearses of the 500 nuns borne by devas and the hearse of Mahapajapati Gotami whose hearse was borne by the Four Great Deva Kings. The last in the procession was the Sangha and Buddha Shakyamuni. The journey from the monastery to the funeral ground was covered with canopies. There were pennants and flowers strewn on the ground, all kinds of music, singing and dancing were performed to celebrate the departure of the Noble Ones. At the same time, celestial lotus flowers were coming down from the sky, and the air was filled with a fragrant scent. The sun, moon and the stars were all visible to the people. The sun’s ray was cool even at noon. Relics were found after the cremation of Mahapajapati, and the Licchavi Kings built a stupa to house the relics. Ever since then, Mahapajapati Gotami was regarded and respected as the founder of the nun monastic order.
Bhikkhuni Ordination: Single vs Dual Ordination
Mural showing Ven. Ananda requesting the Buddha to allow women’s ordination.
In the beginning, bhikkhunis received Upasamapada or ordination from the Buddha directly and then from the bhikkhu Sangha only.
The ordination by the bhikkhu Sangha is also known as Single Ordination. It continued for some time until there was a case of a candidate who was to be ordained as a bhikkhuni, but was shy and could not answer the series of questions that were posted to her by the bhikkhu. The questions were private, and she was too embarrassed to provide answers to the male bhikkhu.
Buddha then suggested that the bhikkhuni Sangha come in and ask the questions and it became part of the ordination process according to Pali text. The bhikkhuni Sangha alone will give the ordination, and the bhikkhus will confirm and complete the process. This was the beginning of what is called the Dual Ordination.
The Spread of Buddhism and the Bhikkhuni Sangha
How bhikkhuni lineage spreads to other countries.
During the time of King Asoka (304-232 BC), Buddhism was well established in India. It was from India that Buddhism proliferated to northern Asia in the form of Mahayana Buddhism and to the south in the form of Theravada Buddhism.
King Asoka sent his daughter, Arahanta bhikkhuni Sanghamitta, to Sri Lanka upon the request of the King of Sri Lanka to establish the bhikkhuni Sangha there. When bhikkhuni Sanghamitta went to Sri Lanka in 245 BCE, she brought along a cutting from the Bodhi Tree where Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment after meditating under it. The Bodhi Tree cutting was carried in a golden vase to Sri Lanka. From Sri Lanka, the lineage of bhikkhuni Sangha spread to Asia and the whole world.
Arahanta bhikkhuni Sanghamitta arriving in Sri Lanka.
How Bhikkhuni Sangha Spread to China
After the bhikkhuni Sangha was established in Sri Lanka, Bhikkhuni Devasara, a Sri Lankan nun, took a cutting from the Sri Lankan Bodhi tree that was originally grown from a cutting of the Indian Bodhi tree and travelled to China by boat in 429 CE. She went with a group of bhikkhunis to establish a bhikkhuni Sangha lineage there.
At that time, there was already a group of nuns in China who had been ordained by the bhikkhu Sangha alone in a Single Ordination. However, they wanted to be re-ordained with a Dual Ordination, which required bhikkhuni Sangha to be present. It was also the proper way that was in line with Buddha’s vision. Hence, the Chinese nuns requested the Sri Lankan bhikkhunis if they were willing to go back to Sri Lanka to bring more bhikkhunis in order to fulfil the number of bhikkhunis required in a Dual Ordination ceremony.
Four years later, the Sri Lankan bhikkhunis returned to China and gave higher ordination to more than 300 Chinese nuns at the Nan Lin Southern Forest Monastery in Nanjing. China’s bhikkhuni lineage survived to this day and eventually transmitted to Taiwan, Korea, and Vietnam.
The Disappearance of the bhikkhuni Sangha in India and Sri Lanka
With the occupation of the Anuradhapura Kingdom by the Cholian Empire in 1017 CE, the bhikkhu and bhikkhuni order disappeared and no longer existed in the country. After King Vijayabahu drove away the invaders, he invited monks from Burma to revive the lineage. However, since there were no nuns in Burma, Siam, Cambodia, or Laos the lineage of bhikkhuni Sangha was considered not restorable.
Mahayana Tradition of the Bhikkhuni Sangha
The Mahayana tradition holds the only surviving bhikkhuni Sangha as fully ordained female monastics and can be found mainly in countries such as China, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The lineage came from Sri Lanka and has been preserved to this day.
This surviving lineage plays a vital role in reviving the bhikkhuni lineage in the Theravada tradition today, as nuns from the Mahayana tradition are the ones who give ordination to the Theravada nuns of today.
Theravada Tradition of the Bhikkhuni Sangha
Since the disappearance of bhikkhuni Sangha from the Theravada tradition during the 11th to 13th centuries, the leadership of the Theravada bhikkhu Sangha in Burma and Thailand deem fully ordained bhikkhunis to be impossible because there are no existing bhikkhuni to ordain new bhikkhunis.
Without ordination available to them, women who are in the Theravada tradition resort to taking limited vows and living as renunciants. They observe 8 to 10 precepts and do not follow the same codes as the bhikkhunis. However, they do receive popular recognition. Usually, the renunciants will wear white or pink robes, indicating that they are not fully ordained. They are known as dasa sil mata in Sri Lankan Buddhism, thilashin in Burmese Buddhism, maechi in Thai Buddhism, and siladharas in Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England.
Conclusion
Buddha Shakyamuni and disciples
Buddhism is about spiritual practice. It is about cultivating good qualities, about transforming our mind so we can realise our true nature. Since it is a spiritual practice, it has gone beyond gender as the mind has no gender. Even though physically there are male and female bodies, but this should not pose as a restriction to our capability to practice the Dharma and gain realisations.
When Buddha Shakyamuni gave full ordination to Mahapajapti Gotami, he had also said that women have the same capability to achieve enlightenment, just like men. Looking at how Mahapajapati Gotami and the 500 nuns practised sincerely and attained Arhatship, it is proven that women do have the same capability as men to gain attainment.
More images of Mahapajapati Gotami
Sources:
- “Mahapajapati Gotami”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahapajapati_Gotami (accessed: 28 May 2019)
- “(Part Two) 23. The Order of Nuns”, http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_23lbud.htm (accessed: 28 May 2019)
- “Bhikkhunī”,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhun%C4%AB (accessed: 28 May 2019)
- “Therigatha”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therigatha (accessed: 28 May 2019)
- Kramer, Jacqueline,“If You Honor Me, Honor My Mother Gotami The Buddha’s Second Mother and First Mother of the Bhikkhunis”, http://present.bhikkhuni.net/honor-mother-gotami/ (accessed: 28 May 2019)
- “Maha Pajapati Gotami, Founder of the Order of Nuns”, https://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/pajapati.htm (accessed: 29 May 2019)
- “Introduction to the Story about the Elder Nun Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī”, https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Foremost-Elder-Nuns/01-Mahapajapati-Gotami.htm (accessed: 30 May 2019)
- “Maha Pajapati Gotami”, https://dhammawiki.com/index.php/Maha_Pajapati_Gotami (accessed: 30 May 2019)
- “Mahaprajapati Gautami Theri – Princess, Queen, Saint, & Sage”, http://www.rinpoche.com/stories/mahagotami.htm (accessed: 30 May 2019)
- “Eight Garudhammas”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Garudhammas (accessed: 30 May 2019)
- “The Eight Garudhammas”, https://encyclopediaofbuddhism.org/wiki/The_Eight_Garudhammas (accessed: 30 May 2019)
- “Going Forth & Going Out ~ the Parinibbana of Mahapajapati Gotami”, http://www.dhammadharini.net/dhamma/dhamma-talks-from-the-bhikkhuni-sangha/aranya-bodhi-hermitage/going-forth-going-out-the-parinibbana-of-mahapajapati-gotami (accessed: 31 May 2019)
- “Vinaya”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya (accessed: 31 May 2019)
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The story of Mahapajapati Gotami is really inspiring. Imagine she was once a highly royal respected Queen and would willingly to renounce her status to be a lay person. This is somehow the most difficult decision for many high achievers or successors faces. Her strong will, sincerity, determination, consistency to be ordained won her many respect and admiration despite being discriminate as female sangha.
I believe, such enthusiasm spirit still existing in many people life now and we shouldn’t give up easily when obstacles come. Hard work paid off when there are effort being put in.
It’s a very interesting article. Mahapajapati was so determine and and persistent with the path and I admire her great ability to lead the 500 women to request for ordination from Buddha Shakyamuni. During that period, nobody will ever imagine woman shall be ordained and be nun. Buddha Shakyamuni is fair in handling the matter and show to all that both man and woman are equal, and they can be ordained and achieved attainment too.
What determination Mahapajapati Gotami has to become a nun, Buddha rejected her twice but she never give up, leading 500 female followers and walk until their feet wounded, even though after rejected, but she never give up, leading 500 followers shaving their head and change to yellow robe.
I learned this before, becoming a monk is started from our mind and not when we wear on the robe, if we are not mentally ordained, even after we wear the robe, we are still not ordained because we cannot let go our attachments and desire yet, but if we have prepared mentally, if we are ready to be ordained, even without wearing the robe, we will already act like a ordained person.
Mahapajapati Gotami is really inspiring, she continue to persist and even prepared herself before Buddha even ordained her to be a nun.
This article touches me a lot that to know how hard that Mahapajapati Gotami have to request to be ordained as a nun and yet, she do not give up. As a queen, she have no ego mind, but, sincerely wanted to become a nun.
It is sad to know nun ordination can’t be restored in certain countries and yet these countries are the original place those nun lineage started.
The Buddha agreed to the establishment of the Order for Nuns, but only on eight conditions:
1. A Bhikshuni even if she was in the order for 100 years must respect a Bhikshu even of a day’s standing.
2. A Bhikshuni should reside within 6 hours of traveling distance to and from the monastery where Bhikshus reside for advice.
3. On Observance days, a Bhikshuni should consult the Bhikshus.
4. A Bhikshuni should spend the Rains Retreat under the orders of Bhikshus and Bhikshunis.
5. A Bhikshuni should observe the manattna discipline from both the orders.
6. A Bhikshuni should on two years obtain the higher ordination (Upasampatha) by both orders.
7. A Bhikshuni cannot scold a Bhikshu.
8. A Bhikshuni cannot advise a Bhikshu rather it should be the other way round.
It was reported that when Mahaprajapati learned about the conditions, she accepted them wholeheartedly. She followed the Buddha’s instructions and was diligent in her practice. Not long afterwards she attained arhatship. Her 500 companions also became arhats upon listening to the discourse called Nandakovada Sutra by the Buddha. The Licchavi kings built a residence for her and her followers at Vaishali.
Buddhist monks and nuns play an important role preserving the dharma taught by Buddha Shakyamuni. The Buddha taught that our life is full of obstacles and sufferings because this is the nature of samsara. Monks and nuns renounced from secular life, put in great amount of energy and devotion to learn the dharma and practise the dharma. They carry a deep responsibility to become a suitable vessel holding the lineage and pass on to the next generations. Because of their devotion, dedication and efforts pursuing the way of the Buddha, the dharma and monastic traditions are still alive today. Regardless of gender and background, anyone who practice the dharma and offer mind transformation to their qualified Guru, they can gain enlightenment.
I’ve always been inspired by Mahaprajapati Gotami’s story on how she succeeded in becoming a nun in spite of the odds against her at the time. She was the Buddha’s aunt and after Queen Mahamaya passed away, she brought up Prince Siddhartha like her own son.
After his enlightenment the Buddha went back to Kapilavastu to preach the Dharma. When Queen Mahaprajapati went to pay homage to the Buddha, she attained the first stage of realisation. She wished to devote herself to the spiritual life and asked the Buddha to allow her to become a Bhikshuni (Bhikkhuni in Pali). Her request was rejected 3 times.
At the Mahavana in Vaishali, Ananda approached the Buddha on her behalf and asked whether women were capable of attaining the 4 levels of realisation. The Buddha said that they would. When Ananda pleaded that Mahaprajapati had raised him like her own son and she had come all the way on foot, the Buddha relented. Thus, 5 years after he formed the Order of Monks (Bhikshu), the Buddha formed the Order of Nuns (Bhikshuni). The first Bhikshunis were the Buddha’s step mother, Mahaprajapati, and 500 ladies from his father’s court.
It is said that the Buddha was the first to give women their rightful place in a society which treated the birth of a girl as an inauspicious event.
Inspiring story of Mahapajapati Gotami who initiated the tradition of female monastic. She was known to be the first woman to seek ordination for women. It was not easy for her to become the ordained women since it wasn’t practiced and the women were not in the equal position as men. She goes against the odds and was fortunate that she received ordination directly from the Buddha and became the first female bhikkhuni of our time. Story of Mahapajapati Gotami ,has proven that women gain attainment same as men.
Thank you Rinpoche for this inspiring story.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing with us this inspiring story of Mahapajapati Gotami who initiated the tradition of female monastic. She is the stepmother of Prince Gautama who enjoyed the life of royalty. Her life would be very comfortable due to her status but she is willing to renunciate from all of those luxuries of life to be ordained as a nun.
Her will to be ordained is so strong that even after Buddha Shakyamuni had denied her request, she went and shaved her head and wore robes just to prove to the Buddha that she is very serious and adamant about her decision to be ordained.
In the end, Buddha Shakyamuni agreed to ordained her and hence the linage of female monastic started because of Mahapajapti Gotami. Because of her, the lineage of female monastic flourished around the world and many females were able to pursue their spiritual life as an ordained nun.
Mahapajapati Gotami is very inspiring for female. She was born in a very wealthy family and had a very comfortable life prior to becoming a nun. However, she was able to renounce the comfort she had enjoyed and choose to live a simple life.
People in the old time had more merits and less negative karma to perceive the truth. They could gain realisation very quickly. People in modern time are very deluded by negative karma, good things are being perceived as bad things. Therefore, real Dharma practitioners are getting lesser these days.
In order to clear our obstacles and negative karma so we can perceive the truth and completely renounce, we need to do the protector practice. Dorje Shugden is the most effective protector practice in our time. He is an emanation of Buddha Manjushri. Therefore, it is very safe to propitiate Dorje Shugden. Many high lamas in Gelug lineage rely on him for their Dharma practice.
A very inspiring story of Mahapajapati Gotami was one of the most important disciples of Buddha Shakyamuni as she was the first ever female to be ordained by Buddha Shakyamuni and the founding member of the nuns’ monastic order (bhikkhuni Sangha). She was also the aunt and stepmother of Buddha Shakyamuni. Mahapajapati Gotami’s many virtuous deeds in her previous lives were the cause which led her to become the founding member of the nuns’ monastic order. Thank you very much Rinpoche and blog team for such an enjoyable and inspirational story. ??????
Gotami’s courage, persistency and her far sight is unusual. She is the icon motherhood, selfless. Her persistency in joining monastic life shows her level of renunciation. Understanding the ancient culture of men is above the women, women is always the least priority, in fact Gotami led 500 other women to seek approval from the Buddha to be ordained as nun. Rejections from the Buddha doesn’t discourage her but in fact inspired her more. Being born in a rich family, Gotami was not bound by the easy life but instead she initiated the tradition of female monastic life. At her time, to be shaved and not care about the gossip of her being a woman is quote rare yet she went through all hardships and got what she deserved. Inspiring