- 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 departing without informing 15. Anāpucchāpakkamanasikkhāpada
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 a certain nun was associating with a family from which she received a regular meal. Tena kho pana samayena aññatarā bhikkhunī aññatarassa kulassa kulūpikā hoti niccabhattikā. Then, after robing up one morning, she took her bowl and robe and went to that family where she sat down on a seat. She then departed without informing the owners. Atha kho sā bhikkhunī pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena taṁ kulaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āsane nisīditvā sāmike anāpucchā pakkāmi. A slave-woman who was sweeping the house put that seat in between some vessels. Tassa kulassa dāsī gharaṁ sammajjantī taṁ āsanaṁ bhājanantarikāya pakkhipi. Not seeing the seat, soon afterwards the people there asked that nun, Manussā taṁ āsanaṁ apassantā taṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavocuṁ—“Venerable, where’s that seat?” “kahaṁ taṁ, ayye, āsanan”ti?
“I don’t know.” “Nāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, āsanaṁ passāmī”ti.
“Give back the seat, Venerable.” And after scolding her, they made an end of her regular meal. “Dethāyye, taṁ āsanan”ti paribhāsitvā niccabhattaṁ pacchindiṁsu. Then, while those people were cleaning the house, they saw that seat in between those vessels. They asked that nun for forgiveness and restored her regular meal. Atha kho te manussā gharaṁ sodhentā taṁ āsanaṁ bhājanantarikāya passitvā taṁ bhikkhuniṁ khamāpetvā niccabhattaṁ paṭṭhapesuṁ.
That nun then told the nuns what had happened. Atha kho sā bhikkhunī bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could a nun visit a family before the meal, sit down on a seat, and then depart without informing the owners?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhunī purebhattaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamitvā āsane nisīditvā sāmike anāpucchā pakkamissatī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that a nun did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī purebhattaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamitvā āsane nisīditvā sāmike anāpucchā pakkamatī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked her … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could a nun act like this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave bhikkhunī purebhattaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamitvā āsane nisīditvā sāmike anāpucchā pakkamissati. 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 visits families before the meal, sits down on a seat, and then departs without informing the owners, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī purebhattaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamitvā āsane nisīditvā sāmike anāpucchā pakkameyya, 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.
- Before the meal: Purebhattaṁ nāma
- from dawn until midday. aruṇuggamanaṁ upādāya yāva majjhanhikā.
- A family: Kulaṁ nāma
- there are four kinds of families: the aristocratic family, the brahmin family, the merchant family, the worker family. cattāri kulāni— khattiyakulaṁ, brāhmaṇakulaṁ, vessakulaṁ, suddakulaṁ.
- Visits: Upasaṅkamitvāti
- goes there. tattha gantvā.
- A seat: Āsanaṁ nāma
- a place for sitting cross-legged is what is meant. pallaṅkassa okāso vuccati.
- Sits down: Nisīditvāti
- sits down on that seat. tasmiṁ nisīditvā.
- Departs without informing the owners: Sāmike anāpucchā pakkameyyāti
- if, without informing a person who understands in that family, she goes beyond the roof cover of that house, she commits an offense entailing confession. yo tasmiṁ kule manusso viññū taṁ anāpucchā anovassakaṁ atikkāmentiyā āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is out in the open and she goes beyond the vicinity of the seat, she commits an offense entailing confession. Ajjhokāse upacāraṁ atikkāmentiyā āpatti pācittiyassa.
Permutations
If she has not informed, and she does not perceive that she has, and she departs, she commits an offense entailing confession. Anāpucchite anāpucchitasaññā pakkamati, āpatti pācittiyassa. If she has not informed, but she is unsure of it, and she departs, she commits an offense entailing confession. Anāpucchite vematikā pakkamati, āpatti pācittiyassa. If she has not informed, but she perceives that she has, and she departs, she commits an offense entailing confession. Anāpucchite āpucchitasaññā pakkamati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If it is not a place for sitting cross-legged, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Pallaṅkassa anokāse āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she has informed, but she does not perceive that she has, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Āpucchite anāpucchitasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she has informed, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Āpucchite vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she has informed, and she perceives that she has, there is no offense. Āpucchite āpucchitasaññā, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if she departs after informing someone; āpucchā gacchati, if the seat is not movable; asaṁhārime, if she is sick; gilānāya, if there is an emergency; āpadāsu, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
The fifth training rule is finished. Pañcamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.