- 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 not having someone nursed 34. Naupaṭṭhāpanasikkhāpada
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 disciple of the nun Thullanandā was suffering, but Thullanandā neither nursed her nor made any effort to have someone else nurse her. Tena kho pana samayena thullanandā bhikkhunī dukkhitaṁ sahajīviniṁ neva upaṭṭheti na upaṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karoti.
The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could Venerable Thullanandā not nurse a suffering disciple, nor make any effort to have someone else nurse her?” … “kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā dukkhitaṁ sahajīviniṁ neva upaṭṭhessati na upaṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karissatī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā didn’t do this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī dukkhitaṁ sahajīviniṁ neva upaṭṭheti na upaṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karotī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked her … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could the nun Thullanandā not do this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī dukkhitaṁ sahajīviniṁ neva upaṭṭhessati na upaṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karissati. 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 neither nurses a suffering disciple, nor makes any effort to have someone else nurse her, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī dukkhitaṁ sahajīviniṁ neva upaṭṭheyya na upaṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ kareyya, 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.
- Suffering: Dukkhitā nāma
- sick is what is meant. gilānā vuccati.
- Disciple: Sahajīvinī nāma
- a student is what is meant. saddhivihārinī vuccati.
- Neither nurses: Neva upaṭṭheyyāti
- does not herself nurse her. na sayaṁ upaṭṭheyya.
- Nor makes any effort to have someone else nurse her: Na upaṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ kareyyāti
- she does not ask anyone else. na aññaṁ āṇāpeyya.
If she thinks, “I will neither nurse her nor make any effort to have someone else nurse her,” then by the mere fact of abandoning her duty, she commits an offense entailing confession. “Neva upaṭṭhessāmi, na upaṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karissāmī”ti dhuraṁ nikkhittamatte āpatti pācittiyassa. If she neither nurses nor makes any effort to have someone else nurse a pupil or one who is not fully ordained, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Antevāsiniṁ vā anupasampannaṁ vā neva upaṭṭheti, na upaṭṭhāpanāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if there is an obstacle; sati antarāye, if she searches but does not find a nurse; pariyesitvā na labhati, if she is sick; gilānāya, if there is an emergency; āpadāsu, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
The fourth training rule is finished. Catutthasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.