52(2)Exhortation
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesali in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood.
Then the Venerable Ananda approached the Blessed One,
paid homage to him,sat down to one side,
and said to him:
"Bhante,how many qualities should a bhikkhu possess to be agreed upon as an exhorter of bhikkhunis?"
This is evidently referring to the third garudhamma. Another anachronism appears here,at least in relation to the commentarial chronology.The Bhikkhunī Sangha,on this chronology,was founded soon after the Buddha's first visit to Kapilavatthu(or,on other chronologies,perhaps five or ten years after the enlightenment),yet it requires the bhikkhu who is to give the exhortation to have twenty years' seniority.This,of course,would not have been possible until at least twenty years after the founding of the Bhikkhu Sangha.By that time,however,.Mahāpajāpatī would likely have been too old to make the long journey to Vesali by foot.
"Ananda,a bhikkhu should possess eight qualities to be agreed upon as an exhorter of bhikkhunis.
What eight?
(1)"Here,Ananda,a bhikkhu is virtuous....[as in 8:2S4]...Having undertaken the training rules,he trains in them.
(2)"He has learned much...[as in 8:2 S5]...and penetrated well by view.
(3)"Both Patimokkhas have been well transmitted to him in detail,well analyzed,well mastered,well determined in terms of the rules and their detailed explication.
(4)"He is a good speaker with a good delivery;he is gifted with speech that is polished,clear,articulate,expressive of the meaning.
(5)"He is capable [280]of instructing,encouraging,inspiring,and gladdening the Sangha of bhikkhunis with a Dhamma talk.
(6)"He is pleasing and agreeable to most of the bhikkhunis.
(7)"He has never before committed a grave offense against a woman wearing the ochre robe who has gone forth under the Blessed One.
(8)"He has seniority of twenty years or more.
"A bhikkhu should possess these eight qualities to be agreed upon as an exhorter of bhikkhunis."