- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Nuns’ Analysis Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
- The chapter on relinquishment Nissaggiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on almsbowls Pattavagga
The training rule on asking for something else 4. Aññaviññāpanasikkhāpada
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 was sick. Tena kho pana samayena thullanandā bhikkhunī gilānā hoti. A lay follower went to her and asked, Atha kho aññataro upāsako yena thullanandā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā thullanandaṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavoca—“Venerable, what’s wrong with you? What may I get you?” “kiṁ te, ayye, aphāsu, kiṁ āharīyatū”ti?
“I need ghee.” “Sappinā me, āvuso, attho”ti.
That lay follower then brought back from a shop a <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kahāpaṇa</i>’s worth of ghee and gave it to Thullanandā. Atha kho so upāsako aññatarassa āpaṇikassa gharā kahāpaṇassa sappiṁ āharitvā thullanandāya bhikkhuniyā adāsi. Thullanandā said, Thullanandā bhikkhunī evamāha—“I don’t need ghee; “na me, āvuso, sappinā attho; I need oil.” telena me attho”ti. The lay follower returned to the shopkeeper and said, Atha kho so upāsako yena so āpaṇiko tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ āpaṇikaṁ etadavoca—“It seems the nun doesn’t need ghee, but oil. “na kirāyyo, ayyāya sappinā attho, telena attho. Here’s your ghee; please give me oil.” Handa te sappiṁ, telaṁ me dehī”ti.
“Sir, if we were to take back goods that have been sold, when would our goods be sold? “Sace mayaṁ, ayyo, vikkītaṁ bhaṇḍaṁ puna ādiyissāma, kadā amhākaṁ bhaṇḍaṁ vikkāyissati; When ghee is bought, ghee is taken away. Buying oil, you receive that, and you’ll take that away.” sappissa kayena sappi haṭaṁ, telassa kayaṁ āhara, telaṁ harissasī”ti.
That lay follower then complained and criticized her, Atha kho so upāsako ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti—“How could Venerable Thullanandā ask for one thing and then for something else?” “kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā aññaṁ viññāpetvā aññaṁ viññāpessatī”ti.
The nuns heard the complaints of that lay follower, Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tassa upāsakassa ujjhāyantassa khiyyantassa vipācentassa. and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized her … Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti …pe… Those nuns then told the monks, atha kho tā bhikkhuniyo bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. who in turn told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: Bhikkhū bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe… “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī aññaṁ viññāpetvā aññaṁ viññāpetī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked her … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could the nun Thullanandā ask for one thing and then for something else? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī aññaṁ viññāpetvā aññaṁ viññāpessati. 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 asks for one thing and then for something else, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī aññaṁ viññāpetvā aññaṁ viññāpeyya, nissaggiyaṁ 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.
- Asks for one thing: Aññaṁ viññāpetvāti
- whatever she asks for. yaṁ kiñci viññāpetvā.
- Then for something else: Aññaṁ viññāpeyyāti
- apart from that thing, if she asks for something else, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. taṁ ṭhapetvā aññaṁ viññāpeti, payoge dukkaṭaṁ. When she gets it, it becomes subject to relinquishment. Paṭilābhena nissaggiyaṁ hoti.
It should be relinquished to a sangha, a group, or an individual nun. Nissajjitabbaṁ saṅghassa vā gaṇassa vā ekabhikkhuniyā vā. “And, monks, it’s to be relinquished like this. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, nissajjitabbaṁ. (To be expanded as in <a href='https://suttacentral.net/pli-tv-bi-vb-np1/en/brahmali#2.1.21'>Bi Np 1:2.1.21</a>–Bi Np 1:2.1.43, with appropriate substitutions.) …pe…
… ‘Venerables, this thing, which I asked for after asking for something else, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ … “idaṁ me, ayye, aññaṁ viññāpetvā aññaṁ viññāpitaṁ nissaggiyaṁ, imāhaṁ saṅghassa nissajjāmī”ti …pe… the Sangha should give … dadeyyā”ti …pe… you should give … dadeyyun”ti …pe… ‘I give this back to you.’” ayyāya dammī”ti.
Permutations
If it is something else and she perceives it as such, and she asks for that, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Aññe aññasaññā aññaṁ viññāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it is something else, but she is unsure of it, and she asks for that, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Aññe vematikā aññaṁ viññāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it is something else, but she does not perceive it as such, and she asks for that, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Aññe anaññasaññā aññaṁ viññāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If it is not something else, but she perceives it as such, and she asks for that, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anaññe aññasaññā anaññaṁ viññāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is not something else, but she is unsure of it, and she asks for that, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anaññe vematikā anaññaṁ viññāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is not something else, and she does not perceive it as such, and she asks for that, there is no offense. Anaññe anaññasaññā, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if she asks for both at the same time; taññeva viññāpeti, aññañca viññāpeti, if she can show a benefit in asking; ānisaṁsaṁ dassetvā viññāpeti, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
The fourth training rule is finished. Catutthasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.