- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Nuns’ Analysis Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
- The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on pleasure houses Cittāgāravagga
The training rule on legal issues 45. Adhikaraṇasikkhāpada
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. a certain nun went to the nun Thullanandā and said, Tena kho pana samayena aññatarā bhikkhunī thullanandaṁ bhikkhuniṁ upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca—“Please come, Venerable, and resolve this legal issue.” “ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī”ti. Thullanandā agreed, Thullanandā bhikkhunī—but then neither resolved it nor made any effort to do so. “sādhū”ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasameti na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti.
That nun told the nuns what had happened. Atha kho sā bhikkhunī bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could Venerable Thullanandā “kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā bhikkhuniyā—‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā—agree to resolve a legal issue, but then neither resolve it nor make any effort to do so?” … ‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasamessati na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karissatī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā acted like this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī bhikkhuniyā—‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā—‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasameti na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karotī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked her … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could the nun Thullanandā act like this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī bhikkhuniyā—‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā—‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasamessati na vūpasamāya 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, when a nun is requested by a nun to resolve a legal issue, she agrees, but then neither resolves it nor makes any effort to resolve it, then, if there were no obstacles, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī bhikkhuniyā—‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā—‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā sā pacchā anantarāyikinī neva vūpasameyya na vūpasamāya 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.
- By a nun: Bhikkhuniyāti
- by another nun. aññāya bhikkhuniyā.
- A legal issue: Adhikaraṇaṁ nāma
- there are four kinds of legal issues: legal issues arising from disputes, legal issues arising from accusations, legal issues arising from offenses, legal issues arising from business. cattāri adhikaraṇāni— vivādādhikaraṇaṁ, anuvādādhikaraṇaṁ, āpattādhikaraṇaṁ, kiccādhikaraṇaṁ.
- To resolve a legal issue: Ehāyye imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehīti
- to make a decision on a legal issue. ehāyye imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vinicchehi.
- Then, if there were no obstacles: Sā pacchā anantarāyikinīti
- when there is no obstacle. asati antarāye.
- Neither resolves it: Neva vūpasameyyāti
- she does not resolve it herself. na sayaṁ vūpasameyya.
- Nor makes any effort to resolve it: Na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ kareyyāti
- she does not ask anyone else. na aññaṁ āṇāpeyya.
If, thinking, “I’ll neither resolve it nor make any effort to resolve it,” then, by the mere fact of abandoning her duty, she commits an offense entailing confession. “Neva vūpasamessāmi na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karissāmī”ti dhuraṁ nikkhittamatte, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Permutations
If the other person is fully ordained, and she perceives her as such, and she neither resolves the legal issue nor makes any effort to resolve it, she commits an offense entailing confession. Upasampannāya upasampannasaññā adhikaraṇaṁ neva vūpasameti na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If the other person is fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, and she neither resolves the legal issue nor makes any effort to resolve it, she commits an offense entailing confession. Upasampannāya vematikā adhikaraṇaṁ neva vūpasameti, na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If the other person is fully ordained, but she does not perceive her as such, and she neither resolves the legal issue nor makes any effort to resolve it, she commits an offense entailing confession. Upasampannāya anupasampannasaññā adhikaraṇaṁ neva vūpasameti, na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If the other person is not fully ordained, and she neither resolves the legal issue nor makes any effort to resolve it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampannāya adhikaraṇaṁ neva vūpasameti, na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If the other person is not fully ordained, but she perceives her as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampannāya upasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If the other person is not fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampannāya vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If the other person is not fully ordained, and she does not perceive her as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampannāya anupasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if there is an obstacle; sati antarāye, if she searches, but is unable to find anyone to settle it; 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 fifth training rule is finished. Pañcamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.