瞿曇彌來作比丘尼品第九
Chapter 9: Gautami Becomes a Bhikkhuni
爾時佛遊於迦維羅衛國釋氏精舍，與大比丘僧千二百五十人俱。是時大愛道瞿曇彌，行到佛所，稽首作禮，却住一面，叉手白佛言：「我聞女人精進，可得沙門四道，願得受佛法律。我以居家有信，欲出家為道。」佛言：「且止，瞿曇彌！無樂以女人入我法律。服法衣者，當盡壽清淨究暢梵行。」瞿曇彌則復求哀，如是至三，佛不肯聽。便前作禮，遶佛而去。
At that time, the Buddha was staying at the Shakya Monastery in the country of Kapilavastu, together with an assembly of 1,250 great bhikkhus. Then Mahaprajapati Gotami came to where the Buddha was, bowed her head at his feet, and stepped to one side. Joining her palms, she said to the Buddha, "I have heard that women, through diligent practice, can attain the four stages of enlightenment. Please let me receive the Buddha's teachings and precepts. Though living at home as a layperson, I have faith and wish to leave home to pursue the spiritual path."
The Buddha replied, "Stop, Gotami. Do not take pleasure in having women enter my teachings and precepts. Those who wear the robes of the Dharma should live a life of purity, upholding the holy life, for their entire lives." Gotami implored him with this request three times, but the Buddha still would not grant it. So she bowed before him, circumambulated him, and departed.
其後不久，佛時與諸大比丘俱，從釋氏精舍入迦維羅衛國。大愛道聞佛從諸弟子來入國中，心大歡喜，即行到佛所，稽首佛足下，大愛道復白佛言：「我聞女人精進，可得沙門四道，願得受佛法律。我以居家有信，欲出家為道。」佛言：「止止！瞿曇彌！無樂以女人入我法律。服法衣者，當盡壽清淨究暢梵行。」大愛道則復求哀，如是至三，佛不肯聽。便前作禮，遶佛而去。
Shortly afterward, the Buddha and a large assembly of senior monks left the Shakyas' retreat and entered the city of Kapilavastu. When Mahaprajapati heard that the Buddha and his disciples had come to the city, she was overjoyed. She immediately went to see the Buddha, bowed her head at his feet, and said: "I have heard that women can also diligently pursue the four stages of enlightenment leading to liberation. I wish to receive the Buddha's teachings and discipline. Though I live at home as a layperson, I have faith and want to renounce worldly life to follow the path." The Buddha replied, "Stop, stop, Gotami! Please do not seek to have women enter my teachings and discipline. Those who wear the monastic robe should maintain pure conduct and cultivate the holy life fully until the end of their days." Mahaprajapati pleaded earnestly like this three times, but the Buddha still would not agree. So she bowed to him, circumambulated him, and departed.
佛時與諸比丘，留止是國，避雨三月，補成衣已，著衣持鉢出國而去。大愛道即與諸老母等，俱行追佛。佛行轉到那私縣，頓止河上。大愛道便前，稽首作禮却住白佛言：「我聞女人精進，可得沙門四道，願得受佛法律。我以居家有信，欲出家為道。」佛言：「止止！瞿曇彌！無樂以女人入我法律。服法衣者，當盡壽清淨究暢梵行。」大愛道則復求哀，如是至三，佛不肯聽。便前作禮，遶佛而退。住於門外，被弊敗之衣，徒跣而立，顏面垢穢，衣服污塵，身體疲勞，噓唏悲啼。
The Buddha was staying with his monks in that country, taking shelter from the rains for three months. Once their robes were mended and ready, he put on his robe, took his bowl, and left the country. Great Loving One followed after the Buddha with the elder women. The Buddha traveled on to the town of Nasi and halted by the river. Great Loving One approached, bowed at his feet, stood to one side, and said: "I have heard that women who diligently practice can attain the four stages of enlightenment through renunciation. I wish to receive the Buddha's teachings and precepts. Though I have faith as a householder, I wish to leave home and follow the path." The Buddha said: "Stop, stop! Gotami! Do not delight in women entering my teachings and precepts. Those who wear the dharma robe must live a pure life of sacred practice until their last breath." Great Loving One then begged for mercy in this way three times, but the Buddha would not consent. She bowed, circumambulated him, and withdrew. She stood outside the gate, wearing tattered garments, barefoot, her face dirty, her clothes soiled with dust, her body exhausted, weeping and sobbing in grief.
賢者阿難，見伯母大愛道如是，即問言：「瞿曇彌！何因弊衣徒跣、面垢衣塵，疲勞悲啼？」大愛道答言：「賢者阿難！今我用女人故，不得受佛法律，是以自悲傷耳！」阿難言：「止止！瞿曇彌！且自寬意，待我今入向佛說是事。」
Wise Ananda, seeing his aunt Mahaprajapati in this state, asked: "Gautami! Why are you wearing torn robes, barefoot, with a dust-covered face and tearful? Are you tired and grieving?"
Mahaprajapati replied: "Wise Ananda! It is because I am a woman that I cannot receive the Buddha's Dharma and precepts. This is why I am so sad!"
Ananda said: "Enough, enough, Gautami! Calm your mind for now. Let me go and speak of this matter to the Buddha."
賢者阿難即入，稽首佛足下，長跪白佛言：「我從佛聞，女人精進可得沙門四道。今大愛道以至心欲受法律，其已居家有信，欲出家為道，願佛許之！」佛言：「止止！阿難！無樂使女人入我法律為沙門也。所以者何？阿難！譬如族姓之家生子，多女少男，當知是家以為衰弱，不得大強盛也。今使女人入我法律者，必令佛清淨梵行不得久住。譬如稻田禾稼具熟，而有惡露災氣，則令善穀傷敗。今使女人入我法律者，必令佛清淨大道不得久興盛。」
The wise Ananda then entered, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and knelt with joined palms to address the Buddha: "I have heard from the Buddha that women who practice with diligence can attain the four fruits of monkhood. Now Mahaprajapati, with all her heart, wishes to receive the teachings and vows She has lived as a householder with faith and wishes to leave home and follow the path. May the Buddha permit this!"
The Buddha said: "Stop, stop, Ananda! Do not wish for women to enter my teachings and vows as monks. Why is this? Ananda, suppose a family of good lineage has children—many daughters and few sons. Know that this family will be weakened and cannot become greatly prosperous. Now if women enter my teachings and vows, it will surely prevent the Buddha's pure holy life from enduring long. Suppose a rice field's crops are fully ripe, but a foul plague comes, causing the good grain to be ruined. Now if women enter my teachings and vows, it will surely prevent the Buddha's pure great path from flourishing long."
阿難復言：「今大愛道，多有善意。佛初生時，力自育養，至于長大。」佛言：「有是。阿難！大愛道信多善意，於我有恩。我生七日而母終亡，大愛道自育養我至于長大。今我於天下為佛，亦多有恩德於大愛道。大愛道但由我故，得來自歸佛、自歸法、自歸比丘僧，又信佛、信法、信比丘僧，不復疑苦，不復疑習，不復疑盡，不復疑道，方成其信，成其禁戒，成其多聞，成其布施，成其智慧。亦能自禁制，不殺生，不盜竊，不婬泆，不妄語，不飲酒。如是，阿難！正使人終身相給施衣被、飲食、臥具、病困醫藥，不及我此恩德也。」
佛告阿難：「假使女人，欲作沙門者，有八敬之法，不得踰越，當以盡壽，學而行之。譬如防水，善治堤塘，勿漏而已。其能如是者，可入我律戒。何謂八敬之法？一者、比丘持大戒，女人比丘尼當從受正法。二者、比丘僧持大戒，半月已上，比丘尼當禮事之。三者、比丘僧、比丘尼不得相與並居同止。四者、三月止一處，自相檢押，所聞所見，當自省察。五者、比丘尼不得訟問比丘僧事，以所聞見。若比丘僧有所聞見，訟問比丘尼，比丘尼即當自省察。六者、比丘尼有庶幾於道法，得問比丘僧經律之事。七者、比丘尼自未得道，若犯戒律，當半月詣眾中首過自悔，以棄憍慢之態。八者、比丘尼雖有百歲持大戒，當處新受大戒幼稚比丘僧下坐，以謙敬為之作禮。是為八敬之法，我教女人不得踰越，當以盡壽學而行之。假令大愛道，審能持此八敬法者，聽為沙門。」
賢者阿難受佛語已熟諦，便作禮而出，報大愛道言：「瞿曇彌！可勿復愁，已得捨家之信、去家就戒。佛說女人作沙門者，有八敬之法，不得踰越，但當終身勤意學行之耳。持心當如防水，善治堤塘勿漏而已。」阿難便一一為伯母，說佛所教勅八敬之事。言：「能如是者，可入佛法律。」大愛道即歡喜而言：「唯諾阿難，聽我一言。譬如四姓家女，沐浴塗香，衣莊嚴事，而人復欲利益之，安隱不怖，以好華香珍寶，結為㻉瑤，持與其女，豈不愛樂頭首受耶？今佛所教勅八敬法者，我亦歡心，願以首頂受之。」爾時，大愛道便受大戒為比丘尼，奉行法律，遂得應真。
然後異時，大愛道比丘尼與諸長老比丘尼，俱行詣賢者阿難而問言：「阿難！是諸長老比丘尼，皆久修梵行，且已見諦。云何當使為新受大戒幼少比丘僧作禮？」阿難言：「小且待，我今入問之。」阿難即入，稽首佛足下，白佛言：「大愛道比丘尼言：『是諸長老比丘尼，皆久修梵行，且已見諦，云何當使為新受大戒幼少比丘僧作禮？』」佛言：「止止！阿難！當慎此言，勿得說也。但汝所知，不如我知。若使女人不於我道作沙門者，外諸異學梵志，及諸居士，皆當以衣被布地，求哀於諸沙門言：『賢者有淨戒高行，願行此衣上，令我長得其福。』」佛言：「阿難！若使女人不於我道作沙門者，天下人民，皆當解髮布地，求哀於諸沙門言：『賢者有戒聞慧行，願行此髮上，令我長得其福。』若使女人不於我道作沙門者，天下人民，皆當豫具衣被、飯食、臥床、病瘦醫藥，願諸沙門當自來取之。若使女人不於我道作沙門者，天下人民，奉事沙門當如事日月、如事天神，過踰於諸外道異學者上。若使女人不於我道作沙門者，佛之正法當千歲興盛。」
佛復語阿難：「以女人作沙門故，使我法五百歲而衰微。所以者何？阿難。女人有五處不能得作。何等為五？女人不得作如來、至真、等正覺；女人不得作轉輪聖王；女人不得作第二忉利天帝釋；女人不得作第六魔天王；女人不得作第七天梵天王。夫此五處者，皆丈夫得為之耳。丈夫得於天下作佛、得作轉輪聖王、得作天帝釋、得作魔天王、得作梵天王。」佛說是已，皆歡喜受行。