Arahanist Order of Canada
UPASAMPADĀ: Full Bhikkhu / Bhikkhunī Ordination & Pāṭimokkha
27. The Sikkhamānā Training (Sikkhāsammuti)
The Sikkhamānā (Pāḷi: “a woman in training” or “probationer”) stage represents a mandatory two-year preparatory period of Saṅgha probation for a candidate prior to receiving full Acceptance (Upasampadā) as a Bhikkhunī, as laid down in the Vinaya Piṭaka (Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga and Cullavagga).
1). Requesting the Agreement (Sikkhāsammuti-Yācanā)
When a candidate requests the formal permission from the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha to undergo the two-year training, she bows to the Saṅgha, squats on her heels, raises her joined hands, and recites three times:
“Ahaṁ, ayye, [Name] saṅghaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ yācāmi.”
(Repeated a 2nd and 3rd time: “Dutiyampi… Tatiyampi…”)
“I, Venerable Ladies, [Name], ask the Saṅgha for the agreement to train in the six rules for two years.”
(A second time… A third time…)
2). The Motion and Announcement (Ñattidutiya-Kamma)
A competent and experienced Bhikkhunī then addresses the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha to formalize the agreement by a two-part motion (Ñattidutiya):
“Suṇātu me, ayye, saṅgho.
Ayaṁ [Name] [Upajjhā-Name] ayaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ yācati.
Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ, saṅgho [Name] dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ dadeyya. Esā ñatti.
Suṇātu me, ayye, saṅgho.
Ayaṁ [Name] [Upajjhā-Name] ayaṁ dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ yācati.
Saṅgho [Name] dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ dadāti.
Yassā ayyāya khamati [Name] dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiya dānaṁ, sā tuṇhassa; yassā nakkhamati, sā bhāseyya.
Dinnā saṅghena [Name] dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammuti.
Khamati saṅghassa, tasmā tuṇhī, evametaṁ dhārayāmi.”
“Let the Saṅgha hear me, Venerable Ladies.
This person [Name], whose preceptor is [Preceptor’s Name], asks the Saṅgha for the agreement to train in the six rules for two years.
If it is suitable to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha should grant [Name] the agreement to train in the six rules for two years. This is the motion.
Let the Saṅgha hear me, Venerable Ladies.
This person [Name], whose preceptor is [Preceptor’s Name], asks the Saṅgha for the agreement to train in the six rules for two years.
The Saṅgha grants [Name] the agreement to train in the six rules for two years.
Whichever Venerable Lady consents to granting [Name] the agreement to train in the six rules for two years, let her be silent; whichever lady does not consent, let her speak.
Granted by the Saṅgha to [Name] is the agreement to train in the six rules for two years.
It is acceptable to the Saṅgha, therefore it is silent—thus I hold this.”
3). Undertaking the Six Rules (Cha Dhammā)
After the motion is approved, the candidate formally undertakes the six rules to be kept uninterrupted for 24 months:
- Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī dve vassāni avītikkamaniyaṁ sikkhaṁ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking life, not to be transgressed for two years.
- Adinnādānā veramaṇī dve vassāni avītikkamaniyaṁ sikkhaṁ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given, not to be transgressed for two years.
- Abrahmacariyā veramaṇī dve vassāni avītikkamaniyaṁ sikkhaṁ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from unchastity (non-celibacy), not to be transgressed for two years.
- Musāvādā veramaṇī dve vassāni avītikkamaniyaṁ sikkhaṁ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech, not to be transgressed for two years.
- Surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī dve vassāni avītikkamaniyaṁ sikkhaṁ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented liquor, distilled liquor, and intoxicants that lead to heedlessness, not to be transgressed for two years.
- Vikālabhojanā veramaṇī dve vassāni avītikkamaniyaṁ sikkhaṁ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training rule to abstain from eating at an improper time (after noon until dawn), not to be transgressed for two years.
4). Canonical Exegesis: Legal Structure and Intent
A structural analysis of the Vinaya demonstrates that the undertaking of the Six Rules (Cha Dhammā) by a Sikkhamānā is not a repetition of the Ten Precepts of a Sāmaṇerī, but a fundamental transition in legal status:
- Transition from Personal Vow to Saṅgha Bond: A Sāmaṇerī’s precepts are undertaken individually through her preceptor without formal Saṅgha transactions. The Sikkhamānā stage, initiated via a formal Ñattidutiya-Kamma, elevates the candidate into a legally binding contract under direct Saṅgha supervision.
- The Rule of Absolute Continuity: Unlike a Sāmaṇerī, whose minor breach is cleared through confession or re-undertaking of precepts, a Sikkhamānā’s training is strictly governed by the condition of continuous compliance (avītikkamaniyaṁ). A single intentional breach of any of the six rules immediately severs the probation (bhinna), requiring a complete restart of the full twenty-four-month period via a new Saṅgha motion.
- Ethical Isolation: The Vinaya isolates these six specific rules—prohibiting destruction of life, theft, non-celibacy, untruthful speech, intoxicants, and improper meal timing—as the baseline measure of ethical integrity and sensory restraint (indriya-saṃvara) necessary to verify readiness for full Upasampadā.
5). Key Canonical Terms Defined
- Avītikkamaniyaṁ (a + vi + ati + kram + anīya): Literally, “not to be stepped over” or “un-transgressable.” Denotes that crossing any of the specified boundaries voids the accumulated period and resets the two-year duration.
- Samādiyāmi: “I undertake / take upon myself completely.” Indicates the candidate’s deliberate, unreserved commitment to the training rules under Saṅgha witness.
28. The Legal Structure and Purpose of the Sikkhamānā Training
1). The Distinction Between Novice Vows and Saṅgha Probation
At first inspection, the undertaking of the Six Rules (Cha Dhammā) by a Sikkhamānā may appear redundant, given that a Sāmaṇerī (novice) has already undertaken the Ten Precepts. However, this view misinterprets the shift in legal standing (Kamma) within the Vinaya.
A Sāmaṇerī undertakes precepts through an individual or informal training relationship with her preceptor. She is under general training and has not yet entered a formal legal relationship with the broader Saṅgha. When she transitions to a Sikkhamānā, her status is elevated through a formal Motion with One Announcement (Ñattidutiya-Kamma) before a complete Bhikkhunī Saṅgha. The Six Rules are no longer merely personal guidelines; they become a legally binding, two-year probationary contract monitored directly by the Saṅgha.
2). The Principle of Unbroken Continuity (Avītikkamaniyaṁ)
The fundamental distinction between Sāmaṇerī training and Sikkhamānā probation lies in the absolute strictness of execution, denoted by the Pāḷi term avītikkamaniyaṁ (“un-transgressable” or “not to be stepped over”):
- Under Sāmaṇerī Precepts: A breach of a training rule is resolved through confession, restatement of intent, or re-undertaking the precepts, without resetting the candidate’s total time spent in monastic life.
- Under Sikkhamānā Probation: The twenty-four months (dve vassāni) must remain entirely unbroken. If a Sikkhamānā intentionally transgresses any single rule among the six, her probation is instantly severed (bhinna). All accumulated time is voided, and she must re-apply to the Saṅgha via a new Ñattidutiya-Kamma to restart the full two-year count from Day 1.
3). Isolation of Core Ethics vs. Auxiliary Decorum
The selection of six specific rules—prohibiting taking life, stealing, unchastity, lying, drinking intoxicants, and eating past midday—represents the Vinaya’s deliberate isolation of essential ethical integrity and fundamental monastic restraint:
- The Four Essential Defeat-Level Restraints: Abstinence from killing, stealing, sexual intercourse, and false speech directly mirrors the foundational ethical boundaries (Pārājika / Pācittiya) of full monastics.
- The Integrity of Mind: Abstinence from intoxicants guarantees continuous mindfulness (Appamāda) and guards against heedless breaches of the other rules.
- The Physical Discipline of the Body: Abstinence from eating at improper times (vikālabhojanā) serves as the baseline physical discipline separating a householder from a monastic devoted to the Brahmacariya.
By excluding minor rules of lifestyle decorum (such as handling money or using cosmetics) from the reset trigger, the Vinaya establishes a realistic yet uncompromising threshold: minor faults of decorum can be corrected, but any breach of core ethics or basic sensory restraint requires a complete restart of the candidate’s probation.
4). Verification of Physical, Mental, and Social Readiness
Beyond legal formalisms, the two-year Sikkhamānā period serves critical practical functions established by Gautama Supreme Arahant:
- Physical Verification: It provides a definitive two-year window to ensure the candidate is not pregnant prior to receiving full Upasampadā, preventing practical and social complications within the Saṅgha.
- Mental Stability: It demonstrates a candidate’s unshakeable determination (adhiṭṭhāna) and psychological readiness over two full seasonal cycles, proving her capacity to endure the monastic life with consistency and sense restraint.
5). The Purpose and Legal Necessity of the Sikkhamānā Probation
(Sikkhāmānā-Sikkhāsammuti-Atthavaṇṇanā)
(1). The Institutional Watch of the Saṅgha (Saṅgha-Samakkhātā)
The requirement for a female candidate to complete two uninterrupted years of probationary training (dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhā) prior to full ordination (Upasampadā) is not merely a custom, but a mandatory legal safeguard established by Gautama in the Vinaya Piṭaka (Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga).
Unlike the general training phase of a novice (Sāmaṇerī), the Sikkhamānā period constitutes a formal legal contract (Ñattidutiya-Kamma) conferred exclusively by the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha. Through the formal motion of Sikkhāsammuti (agreement to train), the candidate is placed under the active, institutional guardianship of the local Bhikkhunī community.
This formal probation serves two paramount purposes in preserving the purity and public standing of the Saṅgha:
- Biological Certainty (Elimination of Scandal): In ancient India, without modern diagnostic tools, a candidate entering the order might be unknowingly pregnant. While a Sāmaṇerī could disrobe or depart without formal monastic proceedings, a Bhikkhunī’s status is lifelong and legally binding. By enforcing a continuous 24-month observation window—far exceeding human gestation—the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha mathematically and biologically ensured that no candidate harbored a pregnancy, thereby shielding the order from public scandal and accusations of hypocrisy.
- Demonstration of Moral Continuity (Avītikkamaniyaṁ): The probation tests whether the candidate possesses the steady psychological endurance and ethical stability required for the Brahmacariya (noble life). The candidate must maintain six foundational training rules without a single breach for 730 consecutive days. If a breach (vītikkama) occurs, her clock immediately resets back to Day 1 (puna sikkhā kāretabbā).
(2). Legal Distinction Across Training Stages
| Stage | Conferring Body | Primary Purpose | Legal Status |
| Sāmaṇerī | Preceptor (Upajjhākā) | General monastic education & daily decorum (Cāritta). | Novice; non-binding countdown to higher ordination. |
| Sikkhamānā | Bhikkhunī Saṅgha (Ñattidutiya-Kamma) | Mandatory 2-year probation; proof of celibacy & moral stability. | Formal probationer under strict 24-month non-reset clause (avītikkamaniyaṁ). |
| Bhikkhunī | Dual-Saṅgha (Ubhato-Saṅgha) | Full admission to the higher monastic order (Upasampadā). | Fully ordained member of the Saṅgha. |
(3). Canonical Summary Commentary (Pāḷi – English)
“Dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhitasikkhāya sikkhamānāya ubhatosaṅghe upasampadā kāretabbā.”
Having trained for two years in the six rules, a probationary candidate must have her full ordination conferred by the dual-Saṅgha.
— Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga (Pācittiya 63)
Analytical Breakdown:
- Dve vassāni — Two full years (24 uninterrupted calendar months).
- Chasu dhammesu — In the six specific rules of abstinence (celibacy, non-stealing, non-killing, truthfulness, non-intoxication, and timely eating).
- Sikkhitasikkhāya — By one whose training has been thoroughly tested and completed without breach.
- Ubhatosaṅghe — Before the dual-Saṅgha ( Bhikkhunī Saṅgha first, followed by confirmation in the Bhikkhu Saṅgha).
1). The Distinction Between Novice Vows and Saṅgha Probation
29. Respectful Relations with Other Theravāda Traditions
The Arahanist Order seeks to establish its identity while maintain understanding with other Theravāda institutions. It recognizes that different traditions have reached different conclusions concerning contemporary Bhikkhunī ordination and that these differences are rooted in longstanding interpretations of the Vinaya and the history of monastic lineages.
The Order will not claim that every Theravāda community recognizes its ordinations, nor will it represent its institutional position as a consensus that does not yet exist.
Its aspiration is to build relationships through mutual understanding, serious study, transparent practice, and respect for the monastic tradition. It hopes that continued dialogue may create greater understanding among communities that currently differ in their recognition of Bhikkhunī ordination.
The Arahanist Order’s commitment to women’s full renunciation is therefore accompanied by a commitment to study, discipline, and responsible institutional development.
30. The Purpose of the Arahanist Bhikkhunī Saṅgha
The ultimate purpose of establishing a Bhikkhunī community is not institutional expansion for its own sake. It is to preserve and cultivate the conditions for the complete renunciant life.
The Arahanist Order seeks to provide women who sincerely aspire to liberation from worldly bondage with a disciplined environment in which they can study the Dhamma, observe the Vinaya, cultivate samatha and vipassanā, relinquish attachment to the world, and strive toward Arahantship.
The Order regards this undertaking as part of its broader responsibility to establish a Canadian monastic community dedicated to the path of liberation taught in the Theravāda tradition.
Its work will proceed through careful study, qualified guidance, rigorous training, and a willingness to engage respectfully with the wider monastic world.
The aim is clear: to establish the conditions in which women, like men, may dedicate their lives to renunciation and strive for the complete liberation of the mind-heart from worldly bondage.
