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Buddham Dhammam
  • Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
  • The Nuns’ Analysis Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
  • The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
  • The subchapter on lying down Tuvaṭṭavagga

The training rule on lying down on the same sheet 32. Ekattharaṇatuvaṭṭanasikkhāpada

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. two nuns were lying down on the same sheet and under the same cover. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo dve ekattharaṇapāvuraṇā tuvaṭṭenti. When people walking about the dwellings saw this, they complained and criticized them, Manussā vihāracārikaṁ āhiṇḍantā passitvā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can two nuns lie down on the same sheet and under the same cover? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!” “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo dve ekattharaṇapāvuraṇā tuvaṭṭessanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti.

The nuns heard the complaints of those people, Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can nuns do this?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo dve ekattharaṇapāvuraṇā tuvaṭṭessantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo dve ekattharaṇapāvuraṇā tuvaṭṭentī”ti?

“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How can nuns do this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo dve ekattharaṇapāvuraṇā tuvaṭṭessanti. 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 two nuns lie down on the same sheet and under the same cover, they commit an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhuniyo dve ekattharaṇapāvuraṇā tuvaṭṭeyyuṁ, pācittiyan”ti.

Definitions

Two: Yā panāti
whoever … yā yādisā …pe…
Nuns: bhikkhuniyoti
fully ordained is what is meant. upasampannāyo vuccanti.
If two lie down on the same sheet and under the same cover: Dve ekattharaṇapāvuraṇā tuvaṭṭeyyunti
if they spread out just the one and cover themselves with just the one, they commit an offense entailing confession. taññeva attharitvā taññeva pārupanti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Permutations

If it is the same sheet and the same cover, and they perceive them as such, and they lie down, they commit an offense entailing confession. Ekattharaṇapāvuraṇe ekattharaṇapāvuraṇasaññā tuvaṭṭenti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is the same sheet and the same cover, but they are unsure of it, and they lie down, they commit an offense entailing confession. Ekattharaṇapāvuraṇe vematikā tuvaṭṭenti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is the same sheet and the same cover, but they perceive them as different, and they lie down, they commit an offense entailing confession. Ekattharaṇapāvuraṇe nānattharaṇapāvuraṇasaññā tuvaṭṭenti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

If it is the same sheet but different covers, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. Ekattharaṇe nānāpāvuraṇe, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is different sheets but the same cover, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. Nānattharaṇe ekapāvuraṇe, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If it is different sheets and different covers, but they perceive them as the same, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. Nānattharaṇapāvuraṇe ekattharaṇapāvuraṇasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is different sheets and different covers, but they are unsure of it, they commit an offense of wrong conduct. Nānattharaṇapāvuraṇe vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is different sheets and different covers, and they perceive them as such, there is no offense. Nānattharaṇapāvuraṇe nānattharaṇapāvuraṇasaññā, anāpatti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: Anāpatti—if they make a partition and then lie down; vavatthānaṁ dassetvā nipajjanti, if they are insane; ummattikānaṁ, if they are the first offenders. ādikammikānanti.

The second training rule is finished. Dutiyasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.