z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 03.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 196
196 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
II
“Just, Ananda, as a man or a woman, when young and of tender years, accustomed to adorn himself, would, when he had bathed his head, receive with both hands a garland of lotus flowers, or of jasmine flowers or of stimutaka flowers, and place it on the top of his head ; even so do I, Ananda, take upon me these Eight Chief Rules, never to be transgressed during my lifelong,” said Mahaprajapati to Ananda.
Then the Venerable Ananda returned to the Blessed One, and bowed down before him, and took his seat, on one side. And, so sitting, the Venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: “Mahaprajapati Gotami, Lord, has taken upon herself the responsibility for the enforcement of the Eight Chief Rules, she may therefore be regarded as having received the Upasampada initiation,” (entry into the Sangha).
Now Mahaprajapati received ordination, and
500 Sakya ladies who had come with her were also ordained at the same time. Thus ordained great Prajapati came before the Master, and saluting him, stood on one side and the Blessed One taught her the Dhamma, the doctrine and the discipline.
The other five hundred Bhikkhunis were ininstructed by Nandaka, one of the disciples of the Blessed One.
Among the Sakya women who became Bhikkhunis along with Mahaprajapati was Yeshodhara. After her initiation she came to be known as Bhadda Kaccana.
§2. Conversion of Prakrati, a Chandalika
Once the Blessed Lord was living in Shravasti in the Jetavana Arama of Anathpindika.
It so happened that Ananda, his disciple, had gone into the city to beg for alms. After eating his food Ananda was going to the river for drinking water.