- 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 spreading out without asking permission 17. Anāpucchāsantharaṇasikkhāpada
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 number of nuns were traveling through the Kosalan country on their way to Sāvatthī, when one evening they arrived at a certain village. There they went to a brahmin family and asked for a place to stay. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhuniyo kosalesu janapade sāvatthiṁ gacchantiyo sāyaṁ aññataraṁ gāmaṁ upagantvā aññataraṁ brāhmaṇakulaṁ upasaṅkamitvā okāsaṁ yāciṁsu. The brahmin woman told them, Atha kho sā brāhmaṇī tā bhikkhuniyo etadavoca—“Please wait, Venerables, until my husband returns.” “āgametha, ayye, yāva brāhmaṇo āgacchatī”ti. Bhikkhuniyo—While they were waiting, the nuns put out bedding, and some sat down on it while others lay down. “yāva brāhmaṇo āgacchatī”ti seyyaṁ santharitvā ekaccā nisīdiṁsu ekaccā nipajjiṁsu.
When the husband returned at night, he said to his wife, Atha kho so brāhmaṇo rattiṁ āgantvā taṁ brāhmaṇiṁ etadavoca—“Who are they?” “kā imā”ti?
“They are nuns.” “Bhikkhuniyo, ayyā”ti.
“Throw out these shaven-headed sluts!”, and he had them thrown out of the house. “Nikkaḍḍhatha imā muṇḍā bandhakiniyo”ti, gharato nikkaḍḍhāpesi.
Those nuns then went to Sāvatthī, where they told the nuns what had happened. Atha kho tā bhikkhuniyo sāvatthiṁ gantvā bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can nuns visit families at the wrong time, put out bedding without asking permission of the owners, and then sit down and lie down on it?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo vikāle kulāni upasaṅkamitvā sāmike anāpucchā seyyaṁ santharitvā abhinisīdissantipi abhinipajjissantipī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that nuns did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo vikāle kulāni upasaṅkamitvā sāmike anāpucchā seyyaṁ santharitvā abhinisīdantipi abhinipajjantipī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could nuns act like this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo vikāle kulāni upasaṅkamitvā sāmike anāpucchā seyyaṁ santharitvā abhinisīdissantipi abhinipajjissantipi. 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 at the wrong time, puts out bedding without asking permission of the owners, or has it put out, and then sits down or lies down on it, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī vikāle kulāni upasaṅkamitvā sāmike anāpucchā seyyaṁ santharitvā vā santharāpetvā vā abhinisīdeyya vā abhinipajjeyya vā, 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.
- The wrong time: Vikālo nāma
- from sunset until dawn. atthaṅgate sūriye yāva aruṇuggamanā.
- 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.
- Without asking permission of the owners: Sāmike anāpucchāti
- not having asked permission of a person in that family who is an owner and who has the authority to give. yo tasmiṁ kule manusso sāmiko dātuṁ, taṁ anāpucchā.
- Bedding: Seyyaṁ nāma
- even a spread of leaves. antamaso paṇṇasanthāropi.
- Puts out: Santharitvāti
- she puts it out herself. sayaṁ santharitvā.
- Has it put out: Santharāpetvāti
- she has someone else to put it out. aññaṁ santharāpetvā.
- Sits down: Abhinisīdeyyāti
- if she sits down on it, she commits an offense entailing confession. tasmiṁ abhinisīdati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
- Lies down: Abhinipajjeyyāti
- if she lies down on it, she commits an offense entailing confession. tasmiṁ abhinipajjati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Permutations
If she has not asked permission, and she does not perceive that she has, and she sits down or lies down on bedding after putting it out or having it put out, she commits an offense entailing confession. Anāpucchite anāpucchitasaññā seyyaṁ santharitvā vā santharāpetvā vā abhinisīdati vā abhinipajjati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa. If she has not asked permission, but she is unsure of it, and she sits down or lies down on bedding after putting it out or having it put out, she commits an offense entailing confession. Anāpucchite vematikā seyyaṁ santharitvā vā santharāpetvā vā abhinisīdati vā abhinipajjati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa. If she has not asked permission, but she perceives that she has, and she sits down or lies down on bedding after putting it out or having it put out, she commits an offense entailing confession. Anāpucchite āpucchitasaññā seyyaṁ santharitvā vā santharāpetvā vā abhinisīdati vā abhinipajjati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If she has asked permission, but she does not perceive that she has, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Āpucchite anāpucchitasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she has asked permission, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Āpucchite vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she has asked permission, and she perceives that she has, there is no offense. Āpucchite āpucchitasaññā, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if she first asks permission, and then, after putting out bedding or having it put out, sits down or lies down on it; āpucchā seyyaṁ santharitvā vā santharāpetvā vā abhinisīdati vā abhinipajjati vā, if she is sick; gilānāya, if there is an emergency; āpadāsu, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
The seventh training rule is finished. Sattamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.