- 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 outside their own country 38. Tiroraṭṭhasikkhāpada
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 the nuns went wandering without a group of travelers where it was considered risky and dangerous outside their own country. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ caranti. Scoundrels raped them. Dhuttā dūsenti.
The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can nuns go wandering without a group of travelers where it’s considered risky and dangerous outside their own country?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ carissantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ carantī”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 tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ carissanti. 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 goes wandering without a group of travelers where it is considered risky and dangerous outside her own country, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ careyya, 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.
- Outside her own country: Tiroraṭṭheti
- in any country apart from the one where she is living. yassa vijite viharati, taṁ ṭhapetvā aññassa raṭṭhe.
- Risky: Sāsaṅkaṁ nāma
- a place has been seen along that road where criminals are camping, eating, standing, sitting, or lying down. tasmiṁ magge corānaṁ niviṭṭhokāso dissati, bhuttokāso dissati, ṭhitokāso dissati, nisinnokāso dissati, nipannokāso dissati.
- Dangerous: Sappaṭibhayaṁ nāma
- criminals have been seen along that road, injuring, robbing, or beating people. tasmiṁ magge corehi manussā hatā dissanti, viluttā dissanti, ākoṭitā dissanti.
- Without a group of travelers: Asatthikā nāma
- in the absence of a group of travelers. vinā satthena.
- Goes wandering: Cārikaṁ careyyāti
- when the villages are a chicken’s flight apart, then for every next village she commits an offense entailing confession. kukkuṭasampāte gāme gāmantare gāmantare, āpatti pācittiyassa. When it is an uninhabited area, a wilderness, then for every six kilometers she commits an offense entailing confession. Agāmake araññe addhayojane addhayojane āpatti pācittiyassa.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if she travels with a group; satthena saha gacchati, if she travels where it is safe and free from danger; kheme appaṭibhaye gacchati, if there is an emergency; āpadāsu, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
The eighth training rule is finished. Aṭṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.