- 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 lodgings 48. Āvasathavihārasikkhāpada
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. the nun Thullanandā went wandering without first relinquishing her lodging. Tena kho pana samayena thullanandā bhikkhunī āvasathaṁ anissajjitvā cārikaṁ pakkāmi. Soon afterwards her lodging caught fire. Tena kho pana samayena thullanandāya bhikkhuniyā āvasatho ḍayhati. Some nuns said, Bhikkhuniyo evamāhaṁsu—“Come, Venerables, let’s remove her things.” “handāyye, bhaṇḍakaṁ nīharāmā”ti. But others replied, Ekaccā evamāhaṁsu—“No, let’s not. “na mayaṁ, ayye, nīharissāma. She’ll just make us responsible for anything that gets lost.” Yaṁ kiñci naṭṭhaṁ sabbaṁ amhe abhiyuñjissatī”ti.
When Thullanandā returned to her lodging, she asked the nuns, Thullanandā bhikkhunī punadeva taṁ āvasathaṁ paccāgantvā bhikkhuniyo pucchi—“Venerables, I hope you removed my things?” “apāyye, bhaṇḍakaṁ nīharitthā”ti?
“No, we didn’t.” “Na mayaṁ, ayye, nīharimhā”ti.
Thullanandā complained and criticized them, Thullanandā bhikkhunī ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti—“How could the nuns not remove the contents when a lodging is burning?” “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo āvasathe ḍayhamāne bhaṇḍakaṁ na nīharissantī”ti.
But the nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could Venerable Thullanandā go wandering without relinquishing her lodging?” … “kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā āvasathaṁ anissajjitvā cārikaṁ pakkamissatī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī āvasathaṁ anissajjitvā cārikaṁ pakkamatī”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 āvasathaṁ anissajjitvā cārikaṁ pakkamissati. 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 relinquishing her lodging, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī āvasathaṁ anissajjitvā cārikaṁ pakkameyya, 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.
- Lodging: Āvasatho nāma
- one with a door is what is meant. kavāṭabaddho vuccati.
- Goes wandering without relinquishing: Anissajjitvā cārikaṁ pakkameyyāti
- if she crosses the boundary of an enclosed lodging without first relinquishing it to a nun, a trainee nun, or a novice nun, she commits an offense entailing confession. bhikkhuniyā vā sikkhamānāya vā sāmaṇeriyā vā anissajjitvā parikkhittassa āvasathassa parikkhepaṁ atikkāmentiyā āpatti pācittiyassa. If she goes beyond the vicinity of an unenclosed lodging, she commits an offense entailing confession. Aparikkhittassa āvasathassa upacāraṁ atikkāmentiyā āpatti pācittiyassa.
Permutations
If it has not been relinquished, and she perceives that it has not, and she goes, she commits an offense entailing confession. Anissajjite anissajjitasaññā pakkamati, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it has not been relinquished, but she is unsure of it, and she goes, she commits an offense entailing confession. Anissajjite vematikā pakkamati, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it has not been relinquished, but she perceives that it has, and she goes, she commits an offense entailing confession. Anissajjite nissajjitasaññā pakkamati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If she does not relinquish a lodging without a door, and then goes, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Akavāṭabaddhaṁ anissajjitvā pakkamati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it has been relinquished, but she perceives that it has not, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Nissajjite anissajjitasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it has been relinquished, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Nissajjite vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it has been relinquished, and she perceives that it has, there is no offense. Nissajjite nissajjitasaññā, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if she relinquishes it and then goes; nissajjitvā pakkamati, if there is an obstacle; sati antarāye, if she searches, but is unable to find anyone to relinquish it to; 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 eighth training rule is finished. Aṭṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.