- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Nuns’ Analysis Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
- The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on monasteries Ārāmavagga
The training rule on monasteries without monks 56. Abhikkhukāvāsasikkhāpada
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 number of nuns who had completed the rainy-season residence in a village monastery went to Sāvatthī. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhuniyo gāmakāvāse vassaṁvuṭṭhā sāvatthiṁ agamaṁsu. The nuns there asked them, Bhikkhuniyo tā bhikkhuniyo etadavocuṁ—“Venerables, where did you spend the rains residence? “katthāyyāyo vassaṁvuṭṭhā? We hope the instruction was effective?” Kacci ovādo iddho ahosī”ti?
“There were no monks there. “Natthayye, tattha bhikkhū; So how could the instruction be effective?” kuto ovādo iddho bhavissatī”ti.
The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could nuns spend the rains residence in a monastery without monks?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo abhikkhuke āvāse vassaṁ vasissantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that nuns did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo abhikkhuke āvāse vassaṁ vasantī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could nuns do this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo abhikkhuke āvāse vassaṁ vasissanti. 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 spends the rainy-season residence in a monastery without monks, she commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī abhikkhuke āvāse vassaṁ vaseyya, 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.
- A monastery without monks: Abhikkhuko nāma āvāso
- she is not able to go to the instruction or to a formal meeting of the community. na sakkā hoti ovādāya vā saṁvāsāya vā gantuṁ. If she thinks, “I’ll stay here for the rainy-season residence,” and she prepares a dwelling, sets out water for drinking and water for washing, and sweeps the yard, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. “Vassaṁ vasissāmī”ti senāsanaṁ paññapeti pānīyaṁ paribhojanīyaṁ upaṭṭhapeti pariveṇaṁ sammajjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. At dawn, she commits an offense entailing confession. Saha aruṇuggamanā āpatti pācittiyassa.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if the monks who entered the rainy-season residence there depart or disrobe or die or join another group; vassupagatā bhikkhū pakkantā vā honti vibbhantā vā kālaṅkatā vā pakkhasaṅkantā vā, if there is an emergency; āpadāsu, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
The sixth training rule is finished. Chaṭṭhasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.