Mahapajapatigotami

Mahapajapatigotami

By Poonyapa Sirichunpen M.5/15 No.24

Content

Preface
Introductory Story
To profess Buddhism
Her work on Buddhism
Virtues as good model for leading a life
Reference

Preface

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Introduction Story

Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī was the foster-mother, step-mother
and maternal aunt (mother's sister) of the Buddha. In Buddhist
tradition, she was the first woman to seek ordination for women,
which she did from Gautama Buddha directly, and she became the
first bhikkhuni (Buddhist nun).

Tradition says Maya and Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī were Koliyan
princess and sisters of Suppabuddha. Mahāpajāpatī was both the
Buddha's maternal aunt and adoptive mother, raising him after her
sister Maya, the Buddha's birth mother, died.She was considered as
most kind mother who raised Siddhartha as her own child.
Mahāpajāpatī died at the age of 120.

"The story of the parinirvāṇa of Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī and
her five hundred bhikṣuṇī companions was popular and widely
transmitted and existed in multiple versions." It is recorded in the
various surviving Vinaya traditions, including the Pāli Canon and
Sarvastivada and Mulasarvastivada versions.
An eminent Therī, Mahāpajāpatī was born at Devadaha in the family
of Suppabuddha as the younger sister of Māyā. Mahāpajāpatī was so
called because, at her birth, augurs prophesied that she would have a
large following. Both sisters married King Suddhodhana, leader of the
Śākya. When Māyā died seven days after the birth of the Bodhisatta
(the "Buddha-to-be"), Pajāpati looked after the Bodhisatta and nursed
him. She raised the Buddha and had her own children, Siddhartha's
half-sister Sundari Nanda and half-brother Nanda.Price
Siddhartha,Prince Nanda,Princess Sundari Nanda ,the grand son
Rahula and her daughter-in-law Yasodara all were equally loved and
treated by mother Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī.

To profess Buddha

The stepmother of Buddha was Mahapajapati
Gotami who looked after Buddha after his mother passed
away shortly after childbirth. She attained stream entry
(first stage of enlightenment) after listening to a discourse
given by Buddha when he came back to his hometown
Kapilavatthu.

King Suddhodana (Buddha's father) passed away at
the 5th year of Buddha's ministry as an Arahant after
listening to discourses given by Buddha. Then
Mahapajapati wanted to join the order too after his
passing. She made the request to join the sangha 3 times
but was refused by Buddha.

She was persistent and with 500 other sakyan ladies
shaved off their hair, donned on saffron robes and walked
barefooted all the way to Versales where Buddha had gone.
Venerable Ananada who was a new young monk back then
saw their pitiful state and empathize with them. So he
approached Buddha on their behalf to asked for their
ordination but was refused thrice. Then he asked Buddha
if women can achieve enlightenment too? Buddha was
affirmative that they could attain enlightenment too. That
opened the doors to the formation of the Bhikkhuni order
which flourished for the next 40 years during which many
Bhikkhunis (nuns) were enlightened.

Her work on Buddhism

She is the first Buddhist nun.
When King Suddhodhana, died, Mahapajapati

Gotami decided to attain ordination. Mahapajapati Gotami
went to the Buddha and asked to be ordained into the
Sangha. The Buddha refused and went on to Vesāli.
Undaunted, Gotami cut off her hair and donned yellow
robes and with a large number of Sakyan ladies followed
the Buddha to Vesāli on foot.

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.
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."
Gotami agreed to accept the Eight Garudhammas
and was accorded the status of the first bhikkhuni.

Virtues as good model for
leading a life

She is a brave, confident, and has a strong earnestness
based on her story about ordination. Even though Buddha
had already rejected her request on ordination, she still
shaved off their hair, donned on saffron robes and walked
barefooted all the way to Versales where Buddha had gone
in order to express her strong desire on her request. This is
a good model for every person in daily life because it is
very important to be confident on your decision or desire.
If you want to do something that is different but doesn’t
create a difficulties to other people, you should not hesitate
and try your best in order to achieve your goal.

Reference

Introductory Story:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahapajapati_Gotami

To profess Buddhism:
http://www.suttas.com/bhikkhuni-mahapajapati-
gotami.html

Her work on Buddhism:
https://www.quora.com/Who-was-the-first-buddhist-nun