- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Nuns’ Analysis Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
- The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on garlic Lasuṇavagga
The training rule on garlic 1. Lasuṇasikkhāpada
Venerables, these one hundred and sixty-six rules on offenses entailing confession come up for recitation. Ime kho panāyyāyo chasaṭṭhisatā pācittiyā dhammā uddesaṁ āgacchanti.
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 lay follower had invited the Sangha of nuns to ask for garlic: Tena kho pana samayena aññatarena upāsakena bhikkhunisaṅgho lasuṇena pavārito hoti—“If any of the nuns need garlic, I’ll supply it.” “yāsaṁ ayyānaṁ lasuṇena attho, ahaṁ lasuṇenā”ti. And he had told his field-keeper, Khettapālo ca āṇatto hoti—“If the nuns come, give two or three bulbs to each nun.” “sace bhikkhuniyo āgacchanti, ekamekāya bhikkhuniyā dvetayo bhaṇḍike dehī”ti.
On that occasion they were holding a celebration in Sāvatthī, Tena kho pana samayena sāvatthiyaṁ ussavo hoti. and the garlic was used up as soon as it arrived there. Yathābhataṁ lasuṇaṁ parikkhayaṁ agamāsi. Just then the nuns went to that lay follower and said, Bhikkhuniyo taṁ upāsakaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ—“We need garlic.” “lasuṇena, āvuso, attho”ti.
“Venerables, there isn’t any. “Natthāyye. As soon as the garlic arrives, it’s used up. Yathābhataṁ lasuṇaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ. Please go to the field.” Khettaṁ gacchathā”ti.
The nun Thullanandā went to the field, and not having any sense of moderation she took a large amount of garlic. Thullanandā bhikkhunī khettaṁ gantvā na mattaṁ jānitvā bahuṁ lasuṇaṁ harāpesi. The field-keeper complained and criticized them, Khettapālo ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti—“How can the nuns not have any sense of moderation and take a large amount of garlic?” “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo na mattaṁ jānitvā bahuṁ lasuṇaṁ harāpessantī”ti.
The nuns heard the complaints of that field-keeper, Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tassa khettapālassa ujjhāyantassa khiyyantassa vipācentassa. and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could Venerable Thullanandā not have any sense of moderation and take a large amount of garlic?” … “kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā na mattaṁ jānitvā bahuṁ lasuṇaṁ harāpessatī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī na mattaṁ jānitvā bahuṁ lasuṇaṁ harāpetī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked her, Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could the nun Thullanandā not have any sense of moderation and take a large amount of garlic? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī na mattaṁ jānitvā bahuṁ lasuṇaṁ harāpessati. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… and after giving a teaching he addressed the monks: dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—
Jataka
“Once upon a time, monks, Thullanandā was the wife of a brahmin. “Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī aññatarassa brāhmaṇassa pajāpati ahosi. They had three daughters, Tisso ca dhītaro—Nandā, Nandavatī, and Sundarīnandā. nandā, nandavatī, sundarīnandā. When that brahmin eventually died, he was reborn as a goose, Atha kho, bhikkhave, so brāhmaṇo kālaṁ katvā aññataraṁ haṁsayoniṁ upapajji. whose feathers were all made of gold. Tassa sabbasovaṇṇamayā pattā ahesuṁ. And he gave his former family members one feather at the time. So tāsaṁ ekekaṁ pattaṁ deti. Thullanandā considered this. She then grabbed hold of that king of geese and plucked him. Atha kho, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī ‘ayaṁ haṁso amhākaṁ ekekaṁ pattaṁ detī’ti taṁ haṁsarājaṁ gahetvā nippattaṁ akāsi. But when his feathers regrew they were white. Tassa puna jāyamānā pattā setā sampajjiṁsu. At that time too, monks, Thullanandā lost her gold because she was too greedy. Tadāpi, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī atilobhena suvaṇṇā parihīnā. Now she will lose her garlic.” Idāni lasuṇā parihāyissatīti.
“One should be content with what one gets, Yaṁ laddhaṁ tena tuṭṭhabbaṁ, Because excessive greed is bad. Atilobho hi pāpako; After grabbing hold of the king of geese, Haṁsarājaṁ gahetvāna, The gold came to an end.” Suvaṇṇā parihāyathā”ti.
Then, after rebuking the nun Thullanandā in many ways, the Buddha spoke in dispraise of being difficult to support … Atha kho bhagavā thullanandaṁ bhikkhuniṁ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā dubbharatāya …pe… “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
Final ruling
‘If a nun eats garlic, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī lasuṇaṁ khādeyya 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.
- Garlic: Lasuṇaṁ nāma
- from Magadha is what is meant. māgadhakaṁ vuccati.
If she receives it with the intention of eating it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. “Khādissāmīti paṭiggaṇhā”ti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. For every mouthful, she commits an offense entailing confession. Ajjhohāre ajjhohāre āpatti pācittiyassa.
Permutations
If it is garlic and she perceives it as such, and she eats it, she commits an offense entailing confession. Lasuṇe lasuṇasaññā khādati, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is garlic, but she is unsure of it, and she eats it, she commits an offense entailing confession. Lasuṇe vematikā khādati, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is garlic, but she does not perceive it as such, and she eats it, she commits an offense entailing confession. Lasuṇe alasuṇasaññā khādati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If it is not garlic, but she perceives it as such, and she eats it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Alasuṇe lasuṇasaññā khādati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is not garlic, but she is unsure of it, and she eats it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Alasuṇe vematikā khādati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is not garlic and she does not perceive it as such, and she eats it, there is no offense. Alasuṇe alasuṇasaññā khādati, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if it is an onion; palaṇḍuke, if it is a shallot; bhañjanake, if it is chebulic myrobalan; harītake, if it is a spring onion; cāpalasuṇe, if it is cooked in a bean curry; sūpasampāke, if it is cooked with meat; maṁsasampāke, if it is cooked with oil; telasampāke, if it is in sweets; sāḷave, if it is a special curry; uttaribhaṅge, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
The training rule on garlic, the first, is finished. Lasuṇasikkhāpadaṁ paṭhamaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.