- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Nuns’ Analysis Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
- The chapter on offenses entailing acknowledgment Pāṭidesanīyakaṇḍa
The training rules on asking for oil … honey … syrup … fish … meat … milk … curd 2–8. Tela-madhu-phāṇita-maccha-maṁsa-khīra-dadhiviññāpanasikkhāpada
Origin story
First sub-story
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. the nuns from the group of six were eating oil that they had asked for. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo telaṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjanti. … were eating honey that they had asked for. …pe… madhuṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjanti. … were eating syrup that they had asked for. …pe… phāṇitaṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjanti. … were eating fish that they had asked for. …pe… macchaṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjanti. … were eating meat that they had asked for. …pe… maṁsaṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjanti. … were drinking milk that they had asked for. …pe… khīraṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjanti. … were eating curd that they had asked for. …pe… dadhiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjanti.
People complained and criticized them, Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “How can nuns eat curd that they have asked for? “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo dadhiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjissanti. Who doesn’t like nice food? Who doesn’t prefer tasty food?” Kassa sampannaṁ na manāpaṁ, kassa sāduṁ na ruccatī”ti.
The nuns heard the complaints of those people. Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā … pe … tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “How can the nuns from the group of six eat curd that they have asked for?” … “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo dadhiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjissantī”ti … pe … “Is it true, monks, that those nuns do this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo dadhiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjantī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā … pe … “How can the nuns from the group of six do this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo dadhiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjissanti. 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—
First preliminary ruling
‘If a nun asks for curd and then eats it, she must acknowledge it: “Yā pana bhikkhunī dadhiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjeyya, paṭidesetabbaṁ tāya bhikkhuniyā— “I have done a blameworthy and unsuitable thing that is to be acknowledged. I acknowledge it.”’” ‘gārayhaṁ, ayye, dhammaṁ āpajjiṁ asappāyaṁ pāṭidesanīyaṁ, taṁ paṭidesemī’”ti.
In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the nuns. Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhunīnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.
Second sub-story
Soon afterwards a number of nuns were sick. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo gilānā honti. The nuns who were looking after them asked, Gilānapucchikā bhikkhuniyo gilānā bhikkhuniyo etadavocuṁ— “I hope you’re bearing up? I hope you’re getting better?” “kacci, ayye, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyan”ti?
“Previously we ate curd that we had asked for, and then we were comfortable. “Pubbe mayaṁ, ayye, dadhiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjimhā, tena no phāsu hoti; But now that the Buddha has prohibited this, we don’t ask because we’re afraid of wrongdoing. And because of that we’re not comfortable.” … idāni pana ‘bhagavatā paṭikkhittan’ti kukkuccāyantā na viññāpema, tena no na phāsu hotī”ti … pe …
They told the Buddha. Soon afterwards the Buddha had the Sangha gathered and addressed the monks: bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ … pe …
“Monks, I allow a sick nun to eat curd that she has asked for. anujānāmi, bhikkhave, gilānāya bhikkhuniyā dadhiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjituṁ.
And so, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: Evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
Final ruling
‘If a nun who is not sick asks for (oil … “Yā pana bhikkhunī agilānā (telaṁ …pe…
honey … madhuṁ …pe…
syrup … phāṇitaṁ …pe…
fish … macchaṁ …pe…
meat … maṁsaṁ …pe…
milk … ) khīraṁ …pe…)
curd and then eats it, she must acknowledge it: dadhiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjeyya, paṭidesetabbaṁ tāya bhikkhuniyā—“I have done a blameworthy and unsuitable thing that is to be acknowledged. I acknowledge it.”’” ‘gārayhaṁ, ayye, dhammaṁ āpajjiṁ asappāyaṁ pāṭidesanīyaṁ, taṁ paṭidesemī’”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.
- Who is not sick: Agilānā nāma
- who is comfortable without curd. yassā vinā dadhinā phāsu hoti.
- Who is sick: Gilānā nāma
- who is not comfortable without curd. yassā vinā dadhinā na phāsu hoti.
- Oil: Telaṁ nāma
- sesame oil, mustard seed oil, honey tree oil, castor oil, oil from tallow. tilatelaṁ sāsapatelaṁ madhukatelaṁ eraṇḍatelaṁ vasātelaṁ.
- Honey: Madhu nāma
- honey from bees. makkhikāmadhu.
- Syrup: Phāṇitaṁ nāma
- from sugar cane. ucchumhā nibbattaṁ.
- Fish: Maccho nāma
- what lives in water is what is meant. odako vuccati.
- Meat: Maṁsaṁ nāma
- the meat of those animals whose meat is allowable. yesaṁ maṁsaṁ kappati tesaṁ maṁsaṁ.
- Milk: Khīraṁ nāma
- milk from cows, milk from goats, milk from buffaloes, or milk from whatever animal whose meat is allowable. gokhīraṁ vā ajikākhīraṁ vā mahiṁsakhīraṁ vā yesaṁ maṁsaṁ kappati tesaṁ khīraṁ.
- Curd: Dadhi nāma
- curd from those same animals. tesaññeva dadhi.
If she is not sick and she asks for herself, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. Agilānā attano atthāya viññāpeti, payoge dukkaṭaṁ. When she receives it with the intention of eating it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Paṭilābhena “bhuñjissāmī”ti paṭiggaṇhāti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. For every mouthful, she commits an offense entailing acknowledgment. Ajjhohāre ajjhohāre āpatti pāṭidesanīyassa.
Permutations
If she is not sick, and she does not perceive herself as sick, and she eats curd that she has asked for, she commits an offense entailing acknowledgment. Agilānā agilānasaññā dadhiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjati, āpatti pāṭidesanīyassa. If she is not sick, but she is unsure of it, and she eats curd that she has asked for, she commits an offense entailing acknowledgment. Agilānā vematikā dadhiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjati, āpatti pāṭidesanīyassa. If she is not sick, but she perceives herself as sick, and she eats curd that she has asked for, she commits an offense entailing acknowledgment. Agilānā gilānasaññā dadhiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjati, āpatti pāṭidesanīyassa.
If she is sick, but she does not perceive herself as sick, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Gilānā agilānasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she is sick, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Gilānā vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she is sick, and she perceives herself as sick, there is no offense. Gilānā gilānasaññā anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti— if she is sick; gilānāya, if she asked for it when she was sick, but eats it when she is no longer sick; gilānā hutvā viññāpetvā agilānā bhuñjati, if she eats the leftovers from one who is sick; gilānāya sesakaṁ bhuñjati, if it is from relatives; ñātakānaṁ, if it is from those who have given an invitation; pavāritānaṁ, if it is for the benefit of someone else; aññassatthāya, if it is by means of her own property; attano dhanena, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
The eighth training rule entailing acknowledgment is finished. Aṭṭhamapāṭidesanīyasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.
“Venerables, the eight rules on acknowledgment have been recited. Uddiṭṭhā kho, ayyāyo, aṭṭha pāṭidesanīyā dhammā. In regard to this I ask you, Tatthāyyāyo pucchāmi— ‘Are you pure in this?’ “kaccittha parisuddhā”? A second time I ask, Dutiyampi pucchāmi— ‘Are you pure in this?’ “kaccittha parisuddhā”? A third time I ask, Tatiyampi pucchāmi— ‘Are you pure in this?’ “kaccittha parisuddhā”? You are pure in this and therefore silent. I’ll remember it thus.” Parisuddhetthāyyāyo, tasmā tuṇhī, evametaṁ dhārayāmīti.
The chapter on offenses entailing acknowledgment in the Nuns’ Analysis is finished. Bhikkhunivibhaṅge pāṭidesanīyakaṇḍaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.