- 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 cursing another 19. Paraabhisapanasikkhāpada
Origin story
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. some nuns were unable to find their possessions. They said to the nun Caṇḍakāḷī, Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo attano bhaṇḍakaṁ apassantiyo caṇḍakāḷiṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavocuṁ—“Venerable, have you seen our things?” “apāyye, amhākaṁ bhaṇḍakaṁ passeyyāsī”ti?
Caṇḍakāḷī complained and criticized them, Caṇḍakāḷī bhikkhunī ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti—“Why are you asking me if I’ve seen your things? Am I a thief? Am I shameless? “ahameva nūna corī, ahameva nūna alajjinī, yā ayyāyo attano bhaṇḍakaṁ apassantiyo tā maṁ evamāhaṁsu—‘apāyye, amhākaṁ bhaṇḍakaṁ passeyyāsī’ti? Venerables, if I took your things I wouldn’t be a monastic anymore. I would fall from the spiritual life and be reborn in hell. Sacāhaṁ, ayye, tumhākaṁ bhaṇḍakaṁ gaṇhāmi, assamaṇī homi, brahmacariyā cavāmi, nirayaṁ upapajjāmi; May anyone who speaks such an untruth about me depart from monasticism, fall from the spiritual life, and be reborn in hell!” yā pana maṁ abhūtena evamāha sāpi assamaṇī hotu, brahmacariyā cavatu, nirayaṁ upapajjatū”ti.
The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could Venerable Caṇḍakāḷī curse herself and others, referring to hell and the spiritual life?” … “kathañhi nāma ayyā caṇḍakāḷī attānampi parampi nirayenapi brahmacariyenapi abhisapissatī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that the nun Caṇḍakāḷī did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, caṇḍakāḷī bhikkhunī attānampi parampi nirayenapi brahmacariyenapi abhisapatī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked her … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could the nun Caṇḍakāḷī act like this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, caṇḍakāḷī bhikkhunī attānampi parampi nirayenapi brahmacariyenapi abhisapissati. 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 curses herself or someone else, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī attānaṁ vā paraṁ vā nirayena vā brahmacariyena vā abhisapeyya, 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.
- Herself: Attānanti
- oneself. paccattaṁ.
- Someone else: Paranti
- one who is fully ordained. upasampannaṁ. If she curses, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession. Nirayena vā brahmacariyena vā abhisapati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Permutations
If the other person is fully ordained, and she perceives them as such, and she curses them, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession. Upasampannāya upasampannasaññā nirayena vā brahmacariyena vā abhisapati, āpatti pācittiyassa. If the other person is fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, she curses them, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession. Upasampannāya vematikā nirayena vā brahmacariyena vā abhisapati, āpatti pācittiyassa. If the other person is fully ordained, but she does not perceive them as such, she curses them, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession. Upasampannāya anupasampannasaññā nirayena vā brahmacariyena vā abhisapati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If she curses, referring to the animal realm, the ghost realm, or human misfortune, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Tiracchānayoniyā vā pettivisayena vā manussadobhaggena vā abhisapati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she curses someone who is not fully ordained, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampannaṁ abhisapati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If the other person is not fully ordained, but she perceives them as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampannāya upasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If the other person is not fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampannāya vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If the other person is not fully ordained, and she does not perceive them as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampannāya anupasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if she is aiming at something beneficial; atthapurekkhārāya, if she is aiming at giving a teaching; dhammapurekkhārāya, if she is aiming at giving an instruction; anusāsanipurekkhārāya, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
The ninth training rule is finished. Navamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.