old-path-white-clouds-thich-nhat-hanh

The Buddha turned to Ananda, “Ananda, please go and tell Lady Mahapajapati that if she is willing to accept these Eight Special Rules,
she and the other women may be ordained.”
The sun had already climbed high into the sky, but Ananda found Lady Gotami and the other women patiently waiting. After hearing the
Eight Rules, Gotami was overjoyed. She replied, “Venerable Ananda, please tell the Buddha that just as a young girl gladly accepts a
garland of lotus flowers or roses to adorn her hair after washing it with perfumed water, I happily accept the Eight Rules. I will follow them
all my life if I am granted permission to be ordained.”
Ananda returned to the Buddha’s hut and informed him of Lady Gotami’s response.
The other women looked at Gotami with concern in their eyes, but she smiled and reassured them, “Don’t worry, my sisters. The
important thing is that we have earned the right to be ordained. These Eight Rules will not be barriers to our practice. They are the door by
which we may enter the sangha.”
All fifty-one women were ordained that same day. Venerable Sariputta arranged for them to live temporarily at Ambapali’s mango
grove. The Buddha also asked Sariputta to teach the nuns the basic practice.
Eight days later, Bhikkhuni Mahapajapati paid a visit to the Buddha. She said, “Lord, please show compassion, and explain how I may
best make quick progress on the path of liberation.”
The Buddha answered, “Bhikkhuni Mahapajapati, the most important thing is to take hold of your own mind. Practice observing the
breath and meditate on the body, feelings, mind, and objects of mind. Practicing like that, each day you will experience a deepening of
humility, ease, detachment, peace, and joy. When those qualities arise, you can be sure you are on the correct path, the path of awakening
and enlightenment.”
Bhikkhuni Mahapajapati wanted to build a convent in Vesali in order to enable the nuns to dwell close to the Buddha and his senior
disciples. She also wanted later to return to Kapilavatthu to open a convent in her homeland. She sent a messenger to Yasodhara to
announce the good news of the women’s ordination. Bhikkhuni Gotami knew that the acceptance of women into the sangha would create
an uproar. Bitter opposition would undoubtedly result, and many people would condemn the Buddha and his sangha. She knew the
Buddha would have to face many difficulties. She was grateful, and understood that the Eight Rules were temporarily necessary to protect
the sangha from harmful conflict. She was sure that later on, once the ordination of women was an established fact, the Eight Rules would
no longer be necessary.
The Buddha’s community now had four streams—the bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, upasakas (male lay disciples), and upasikas (female lay
disciples).
Bhikkhuni Mahapajapati gave careful thought as to how the bhikkhunis should dress. Her suggestions were all accepted by the Buddha.
The bhikkhus wore three garments—the antaravarsaka or pants, the uttarasangha or inner robe, and the sanghati or outer robe. In
addition to these three garments, the bhikkhunis added a cloth wrapped around the chest called a samkaksika, and a skirt called a
kusulaka. In addition to their robes and begging bowl, each monk and nun also had the right to own a fan, a water filter, a needle and
thread to mend their robes, a pick to clean their teeth, and a razor to shave their heads twice a month.