Ānanda thought, “The Buddha doesn’t allow women to go forth. What if I try another approach?” He then said, “If women were allowed to go forth, would they be capable of realizing the fruit of streamentry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, and the fruit of perfection?” “Yes, they would.” “If that’s so, sir, and considering that Mahāpajāpati has been very helpful to you—she’s your aunt who nurtured you, brought you up, and breastfed you when your own mother died—please allow women to go forth.”

2. The eight important principles “Ānanda, if Mahāpajāpati accepts these eight important principles, that will be her full ordination: A nun who has been fully ordained for a hundred years should bow down to a monk who was given the full ordination on that very day, and she should stand up for him, raise her joined palms to him, and do acts of respect toward him. This principle is to be honored and respected all one’s life, and is not to be breached. A nun shouldn’t spend the rainy-season residence in a monastery without monks. This principle too is to be honored and respected all one’s life, and is not to be breached. Every half-month a nun should seek two things from the Sangha of monks: asking it about the observance day and going to it for the instruction. This principle too is to be honored and respected all one’s life, and is not to be breached.