Can A Bhikkhu Ordain A SāmaṇerĪ (samaneri)
There is a a debate about whether a bhikkhu can ordain bhikkhunīs. However, here is some pāḷi that explains it is not proper to be done. I explain this on my website:
Are Theravada Bhikkhuni Ordinations Valid? - American Buddhist Monk: Bhante Subhūti
This newly found quote circulating among Theravāda monastics is from the pārājika commentary (cst page 66-67): (line by translation from gpt4… seems quite good actually). But read the pāḷi yourself.
- rājā saphalaṃ manussapaṭilābhaṃ maññamāno mahantaṃ sakkāraṃ karitvā dhātuṃ patiṭṭhāpesi.
- “The king, considering the attainment of human birth as fruitful, performed a great honor and established the relic.”
- saha dhātupatiṭṭhāpanena mahābhūmicālo ahosi.
- “Together with the establishment of the relic, there was a great earthquake.”
- tasmiñca pana dhātupāṭihāriye cittaṃ pasādetvā rañño bhātā abhayo nāma rājakumāro purisasahassena saddhiṃ pabbaji.
- “And in that miracle of the relic, the king’s brother, Prince Abhaya, inspired in heart, renounced the world with a thousand men.”
- cetaraṭṭhagāmato pañca dārakasatāni pabbajiṃsu, tathā dvāramaṇḍalādīhi gāmakehi nikkhamitvā67pañcapañca dārakasatāni sabbānipi antonagarato ca bahinagarato ca pabbajitāni tiṃsabhikkhusahassāni ahesuṃ.
- “From other states and villages, five hundred boys renounced, and similarly from villages around the gates, five times five hundred boys, both from inside and outside the city, renounced, amounting to thirty thousand monks.”
- niṭṭhite pana thūpasmiṃ rājā ca rājabhātikā ca deviyo ca devanāgayakkhānampi vimhayakaraṃ paccekaṃ paccekaṃ pūjaṃ akaṃsu.
- “When the stupa was completed, the king, his royal relatives, the queens, and even the devas, nāgas, and yakkhas, each performed a marvelous worship individually.”
- niṭṭhitāya pana dhātupūjāya patiṭṭhite dhātuvare mahindatthero meghavanuyyānameva gantvā vāsaṃ kappesi.
- “After the completion of the relic worship and the establishment of the excellent relic, Elder Mahinda went to the Meghavana and resided there.”
- tasmiṃ kho pana samaye anuḷā devī pabbajitukāmā hutvā rañño ārocesi.
- “At that time, Queen Anulā, desiring to go forth into homelessness, informed the king.”
- rājā tassā vacanaṃ sutvā theraṃ etadavoca – "anuḷā, bhante, devī pabbajitukāmā, pabbājetha na"nti.
- “Hearing her words, the king said to the elder, ‘Anulā, venerable sir, the queen wishes to renounce. Would you ordain her?’”
- "na, mahārāja, amhākaṃ mātugāmaṃ pabbājetuṃ kappati. pāṭaliputte pana mayhaṃ bhaginī saṅghamittattherī nāma atthi, taṃ pakkosāpehi. imasmiñca pana, mahārāja, dīpe purimakānaṃ tiṇṇaṃ sammāsambuddhānaṃ bodhi patiṭṭhāsi. amhākampi bhagavato sarasaraṃsijālavissajjanakena bodhinā idha patiṭṭhātabbaṃ, tasmā tathā sāsanaṃ pahiṇeyyāsi yathā saṅghamittā bodhiṃ gahetvā āgaccheyyā"ti.
- “‘No, great king, it is not proper for us to ordain women. In Pāṭaliputta, however, my sister, Elder Saṅghamittā, resides. Summon her. And in this island, O great king, the Bodhi tree of the three former Buddhas was established. Likewise, the Bodhi tree associated with the Buddha’s auspicious omens should be established here. Therefore, you should send a message so that Saṅghamittā could bring the Bodhi tree here,’” said the elder.