<p>In the booklet <a href="http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/qanda-women.pdf" rel="nofollow">"Women in Buddhism - Questions and Answers"</a> by Chatsumarn Kabilsingh Ph.D., this question is answered in some detail with a comparison of the monks and nuns Pāṭimokkhas. This quote shows where a large amount of the difference lies:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>In Patidesaniya section, there are eight rules for
  bhikkhunis. Bhikkhus have the same content of the rules but
  they are counted as one and classified under Sekhiya, another
  section. This is one of the reasons responsible for the bloated
  number of rules for bhikkhunis.</p>
  
  <p>In the Pacittiya section, bhikkhunis follow 166 rules as
  compared to 92 for bhikkhus. There are 70 common rules
  shared by both Sanghas. Then bhikkhus have another set
  of 22 exclusively for bhikkhus and bhikkhunis have another
  set of 76 rules exclusively for bhikkhunis. Within 76 rules
  exclusively for bhikkhunis, it is notable that there are many
  rules regarding ordination requirements which the bhikkhus
  also have to follow, but for bhikkhus they are not counted
  in the Patimokkha. This also results in a seemingly larger
  number of Patimokkha rules for bhikkhunis.</p>
  
  <p>Due to the above reasons, the bhikkhunis carry a higher
  number of rules in the Patimokkha than the monks, but in
  reality they follow a similar set of rules.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-08T16:03:06.907Z
2015-07-08T16:08:25.437Z
2015-07-08T16:08:25.437Z
Robin111
<p><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhuni-pati.html">Thanissaro Bhikkhu, in Access to Insight, says</a>,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Thus the Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha contains 85 rules for which there are no
  direct correspondences in the rules for the bhikkhus. Some writers
  have interpreted these added rules as sign of an attempt to oppress
  the bhikkhunīs unfairly, but it should be noted that:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li><p>more than one third of these extra rules were formulated to protect bhikkhunīs from being the direct recipients of the abusive or careless
  behavior of other bhikkhunīs;</p></li>
  <li><p>two of the extra rules (Pācittiyas 6 and 44) prevent bhikkhunīs from putting themselves in a position of servitude to bhikkhus or lay
  people;</p></li>
  <li><p><strong>according to the rules' origin stories</strong>, all but three of the extra rules (Pācittiyas 59, 94, and 95) were formulated only after
  bhikkhunīs complained to the bhikkhus about an errant bhikkhunī's
  behavior.</p></li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Tellingly, these last three exceptions were formulated after
  complaints initiated by the bhikkhus, and they touch directly on the
  formal subordination of the Bhikkhunī Community to the Bhikkhu
  Community. However, they are counterbalanced by two rules exclusive to
  the Bhikkhu Pāṭimokkha — NP 4 &amp; 17 — that were formulated at the
  request of bhikkhunīs to prevent bhikkhus from abusing their position
  in the hierarchy in a way that would interfere with the bhikkhunīs'
  practice of the Dhamma. For a more detailed discussion of the checks
  and balances in the relationships between the two Communities, see The
  Buddhist Monastic Code, volume II, chapter 23.</p>
</blockquote>

<hr>

<p>For what it's worth there is a further set of opinions, published here: <a href="http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Buddhism_and_Misogyny#Extra_rules">Extra rules</a>. This too says that the rules "primarily dealt with the protection of the nuns".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-18T16:26:19.507Z
2014-10-18T17:01:03.267Z
2014-10-18T17:01:03.267Z
ChrisW
<p>The Vinaya contains 227 rules for male monks and 311 rules for female monks. Is it known why so many additional rules were put in place for Bhikkhunis? </p>

<monk><monasticism><vinaya><bhikkhuni>
Why do Bhikkhunis have so many extra Vinaya rules?
# Why do Bhikkhunis have so many extra Vinaya rules?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-10-18)

The Vinaya contains 227 rules for male monks and 311 rules for female monks. Is it known why so many additional rules were put in place for Bhikkhunis?

**Tags:** monk, monasticism, vinaya, bhikkhuni


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-10-18. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

[Thanissaro Bhikkhu, in Access to Insight, says](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhuni-pati.html),

> Thus the Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha contains 85 rules for which there are no
> direct correspondences in the rules for the bhikkhus. Some writers
> have interpreted these added rules as sign of an attempt to oppress
> the bhikkhunīs unfairly, but it should be noted that:
>
> 1. more than one third of these extra rules were formulated to protect bhikkhunīs from being the direct recipients of the abusive or careless
>    behavior of other bhikkhunīs;
> 2. two of the extra rules (Pācittiyas 6 and 44) prevent bhikkhunīs from putting themselves in a position of servitude to bhikkhus or lay
>    people;
> 3. **according to the rules' origin stories**, all but three of the extra rules (Pācittiyas 59, 94, and 95) were formulated only after
>    bhikkhunīs complained to the bhikkhus about an errant bhikkhunī's
>    behavior.
>
> Tellingly, these last three exceptions were formulated after
> complaints initiated by the bhikkhus, and they touch directly on the
> formal subordination of the Bhikkhunī Community to the Bhikkhu
> Community. However, they are counterbalanced by two rules exclusive to
> the Bhikkhu Pāṭimokkha — NP 4 & 17 — that were formulated at the
> request of bhikkhunīs to prevent bhikkhus from abusing their position
> in the hierarchy in a way that would interfere with the bhikkhunīs'
> practice of the Dhamma. For a more detailed discussion of the checks
> and balances in the relationships between the two Communities, see The
> Buddhist Monastic Code, volume II, chapter 23.

---

For what it's worth there is a further set of opinions, published here: [Extra rules](http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Buddhism_and_Misogyny#Extra_rules). This too says that the rules "primarily dealt with the protection of the nuns".


---

### Answer by username_0 on 2015-07-08. Score: 2

In the booklet ["Women in Buddhism - Questions and Answers"](http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/qanda-women.pdf) by Chatsumarn Kabilsingh Ph.D., this question is answered in some detail with a comparison of the monks and nuns Pāṭimokkhas. This quote shows where a large amount of the difference lies:

> In Patidesaniya section, there are eight rules for
> bhikkhunis. Bhikkhus have the same content of the rules but
> they are counted as one and classified under Sekhiya, another
> section. This is one of the reasons responsible for the bloated
> number of rules for bhikkhunis.
>
> In the Pacittiya section, bhikkhunis follow 166 rules as
> compared to 92 for bhikkhus. There are 70 common rules
> shared by both Sanghas. Then bhikkhus have another set
> of 22 exclusively for bhikkhus and bhikkhunis have another
> set of 76 rules exclusively for bhikkhunis. Within 76 rules
> exclusively for bhikkhunis, it is notable that there are many
> rules regarding ordination requirements which the bhikkhus
> also have to follow, but for bhikkhus they are not counted
> in the Patimokkha. This also results in a seemingly larger
> number of Patimokkha rules for bhikkhunis.
>
> Due to the above reasons, the bhikkhunis carry a higher
> number of rules in the Patimokkha than the monks, but in
> reality they follow a similar set of rules.


---

