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Buddham Dhammam
  • Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
  • The Nuns’ Analysis Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
  • The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
  • The subchapter on the dark of the night Rattandhakāravagga

The training rule on dismissing a companion 14. Dutiyikauyyojanasikkhāpada

Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At that time the nun Thullanandā stood and talked alone with men on streets, in cul-de-sacs, and at intersections, and she whispered in their ears and dismissed her companion nun. Tena kho pana samayena thullanandā bhikkhunī rathikāyapi byūhepi siṅghāṭakepi purisena saddhiṁ ekenekā santiṭṭhatipi sallapatipi nikaṇṇikampi jappeti dutiyikampi bhikkhuniṁ uyyojeti.

The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can Venerable Thullanandā do such things?” … “kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā rathikāyapi byūhepi siṅghāṭakepi purisena saddhiṁ ekenekā santiṭṭhissatipi sallapissatipi nikaṇṇikampi jappissati dutiyikampi bhikkhuniṁ uyyojessatī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā does this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī rathikāyapi byūhepi siṅghāṭakepi purisena saddhiṁ ekenekā santiṭṭhatipi sallapatipi nikaṇṇikampi jappeti dutiyikampi bhikkhuniṁ uyyojetī”ti?

“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

The Buddha rebuked her … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How can the nun Thullanandā do such things? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī rathikāyapi byūhepi siṅghāṭakepi purisena saddhiṁ ekenekā santiṭṭhissatipi sallapissatipi nikaṇṇikampi jappissati dutiyikampi bhikkhuniṁ uyyojessati. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

Final ruling

‘If a nun stands or talks alone with a man on a street or in a cul-de-sac or at an intersection, or she whispers in his ear or dismisses her companion nun, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī rathikāya vā byūhe vā siṅghāṭake vā purisena saddhiṁ ekenekā santiṭṭheyya vā sallapeyya vā nikaṇṇikaṁ vā jappeyya dutiyikaṁ vā bhikkhuniṁ uyyojeyya, pācittiyan”ti.

Definitions

A: Yā panāti
whoever … yā yādisā …pe…
Nun: bhikkhunīti
… The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case. …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti.
A street: Rathikā nāma
a carriage road is what is meant. racchā vuccati.
A cul-de-sac: Byūhaṁ nāma
one departs the same way one enters. yeneva pavisanti teneva nikkhamanti.
An intersection: Siṅghāṭako nāma
a crossroads is what is meant. caccaraṁ vuccati.
A man: Puriso nāma
a human male, not a male spirit, not a male ghost, not a male animal. He understands and is capable of standing together and talking. manussapuriso na yakkho na peto na tiracchānagato viññū paṭibalo santiṭṭhituṁ sallapituṁ.
With: Saddhinti
together. ekato.
Alone: Ekenekāti
just the man and the nun. puriso ceva hoti bhikkhunī ca.
Stands with: Santiṭṭheyya vāti
if she stands within arm’s reach of the man, she commits an offense entailing confession. purisassa hatthapāse tiṭṭhati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Talks with: Sallapeyya vāti
if she stands talking within arm’s reach of the man, she commits an offense entailing confession. purisassa hatthapāse ṭhitā sallapati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Whispers in his ear: Nikaṇṇikaṁ vā jappeyyāti
if she speaks into the ear of a man, she commits an offense entailing confession. purisassa upakaṇṇake āroceti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Dismisses her companion nun: Dutiyikaṁ vā bhikkhuniṁ uyyojeyyāti
if, wanting to misbehave, she dismisses her companion nun, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. anācāraṁ ācaritukāmā dutiyikampi bhikkhuniṁ uyyojeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If the companion nun is in the process of going beyond the range of sight or the range of hearing, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Dassanūpacāraṁ vā savanūpacāraṁ vā vijahantiyā āpatti dukkaṭassa. When the companion nun has gone beyond, she commits an offense entailing confession. Vijahite āpatti pācittiyassa.

If she stands or talks outside of arm’s reach, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Hatthapāsaṁ vijahitvā santiṭṭhati vā sallapati vā āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she stands or talks with a male spirit, a male ghost, a <i lang='pi' translate='no'>paṇḍaka</i>, or a male animal in human form, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Yakkhena vā petena vā paṇḍakena vā tiracchānagatamanussaviggahena vā saddhiṁ santiṭṭhati vā sallapati vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: Anāpatti—if she has a companion who understands; yo koci viññū dutiyo hoti, if she is not seeking privacy; arahopekkhā, if she stands or talks thinking of something else; aññavihitā santiṭṭhati vā sallapati vā, if she does not want to misbehave; na anācāraṁ ācaritukāmā, if she dismisses her companion nun when there is something to be done; sati karaṇīye dutiyikaṁ bhikkhuniṁ uyyojeti, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.

The fourth training rule is finished. Catutthasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.