- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Nuns’ Analysis Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
- The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on nakedness Naggavagga
The training rule on the ending of the robe season 30. Kathinuddhārasikkhāpada
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 built a dwelling for the Sangha. Tena kho pana samayena aññatarena upāsakena saṅghaṁ uddissa vihāro kārāpito hoti. He wanted to give out-of-season robe-cloth to both Sanghas at the presentation ceremony for that dwelling, So tassa vihārassa mahe ubhatosaṅghassa akālacīvaraṁ dātukāmo hoti. but both Sanghas had already performed the robe-making ceremony. Tena kho pana samayena ubhatosaṅghassa kathinaṁ atthataṁ hoti. That lay follower then went to the Sangha and asked it to make an end of the robe season. Atha kho so upāsako saṅghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā kathinuddhāraṁ yāci.
They told the Buddha. Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—
“Monks, I allow you to end the robe season. “anujānāmi, bhikkhave, kathinaṁ uddharituṁ.
And it should be done like this. Evañca pana bhikkhave kathinaṁ uddharitabbaṁ. A competent and capable monk should inform the Sangha: Byattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena saṅgho ñāpetabbo—
‘Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. ‘Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho. If the Sangha is ready, it should end the robe season. Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ, saṅgho kathinaṁ uddhareyya. This is the motion. Esā ñatti.
Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho. The Sangha ends the robe season. Saṅgho kathinaṁ uddharati. Any monk who approves of ending the robe season should remain silent. Yassāyasmato khamati kathinassa uddhāro, so tuṇhassa; Any monk who doesn’t approve should speak up. yassa nakkhamati, so bhāseyya.
The Sangha has made an end of the robe season. The Sangha approves and is therefore silent. I’ll remember it thus.’” Ubbhataṁ saṅghena kathinaṁ, khamati saṅghassa, tasmā tuṇhī, evametaṁ dhārayāmī’”ti.
That lay follower then went to the Sangha of nuns and asked them to end the robe season. Atha kho so upāsako bhikkhunisaṅghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā kathinuddhāraṁ yāci. Thullanandā bhikkhunī—But the nun Thullanandā, aiming to get robe-cloth for herself, blocked the Sangha from doing it. “cīvaraṁ amhākaṁ bhavissatī”ti kathinuddhāraṁ paṭibāhi. That lay follower complained and criticized them, Atha kho so upāsako ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti—“How could the nuns not end the robe season for us?” “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo amhākaṁ kathinuddhāraṁ na dassantī”ti.
The nuns heard the complaints of that lay follower. Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tassa upāsakassa ujjhāyantassa khiyyantassa vipācentassa. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could Venerable Thullanandā block a legitimate ending of the robe season?” … “kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā dhammikaṁ kathinuddhāraṁ paṭibāhissatī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī dhammikaṁ kathinuddhāraṁ paṭibāhatī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked her … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could the nun Thullanandā do this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī dhammikaṁ kathinuddhāraṁ paṭibāhissati. 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 blocks a legitimate ending of the robe season, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī dhammikaṁ kathinuddhāraṁ paṭibāheyya, 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.
- A legitimate ending of the robe season: Dhammiko nāma kathinuddhāro
- a unanimous Sangha of nuns brings it to an end. samaggo bhikkhunisaṅgho sannipatitvā uddharati.
- Blocks: Paṭibāheyyāti
- if she blocks it with the thought, “What can be done so that the robe season doesn’t end?”, she commits an offense entailing confession. “kathaṁ idaṁ kathinaṁ na uddhareyyā”ti paṭibāhati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Permutations
If it is a legitimate legal procedure, and she perceives it as such, and she blocks it, she commits an offense entailing confession. Dhammike dhammikasaññā paṭibāhati, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but she is unsure of it, and she blocks it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Dhammike vematikā paṭibāhati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but she perceives it as illegitimate, and she blocks it, there is no offense. Dhammike adhammikasaññā paṭibāhati, anāpatti.
If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but she perceives it as legitimate, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Adhammike dhammikasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Adhammike vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, and she perceives it as such, there is no offense. Adhammike adhammikasaññā, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if she can show a benefit in blocking it; ānisaṁsaṁ dassetvā paṭibāhati, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
The tenth training rule is finished. Dasamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.
The third subchapter on nakedness is finished. Naggavaggo tatiyo.