- 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 exchanging what belongs to a group 8. Gaṇikacetāpanasikkhāpada
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 staying in the yard belonging to a certain association were weak because of a lack of congee. Tena kho pana samayena aññatarassa pūgassa pariveṇavāsikā bhikkhuniyo yāguyā kilamanti. Then, after collecting voluntary contributions to supply the nuns with congee, that association stored the ingredients in a shop. They then went to the nuns and said, Atha kho so pūgo bhikkhunīnaṁ yāguatthāya chandakaṁ saṅgharitvā aññatarassa āpaṇikassa ghare parikkhāraṁ nikkhipitvā bhikkhuniyo upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca—“Venerables, congee ingredients are stored in such-and-such a shop. Please have someone get rice from there, have congee cooked, and then eat it.” “amukassa, ayye, āpaṇikassa ghare yāguatthāya parikkhāro nikkhitto, tato taṇḍulaṁ āharāpetvā yāguṁ pacāpetvā paribhuñjathā”ti. But the nuns exchanged those ingredients for tonics, which they then used. Bhikkhuniyo tena parikkhārena bhesajjaṁ cetāpetvā paribhuñjiṁsu.
When that association found out about this, they complained and criticized them, So pūgo jānitvā ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti—“When collective ingredients are designated for a specific purpose, how could the nuns exchange them for something else?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo aññadatthikena parikkhārena aññuddisikena mahājanikena aññaṁ cetāpessantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that the nuns did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo aññadatthikena parikkhārena aññuddisikena mahājanikena aññaṁ cetāpentī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “When collective ingredients are designated for a specific purpose, how could the nuns exchange them for something else? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo aññadatthikena parikkhārena aññuddisikena mahājanikena aññaṁ cetāpessanti. 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
‘When a collective requisite is designated for a specific purpose, if a nun exchanges it for something else, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī aññadatthikena parikkhārena aññuddisikena mahājanikena aññaṁ cetāpeyya, 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.
- A requisite is designated for a specific purpose: Aññadatthikena parikkhārena aññuddisikenāti
- it was given for a specific purpose. aññassatthāya dinnena.
- Collective: Mahājanikenāti
- belonging to a group, not to the Sangha, not to an individual nun. gaṇassa, na saṅghassa, na ekabhikkhuniyā.
- Exchanges it for something else: Aññaṁ cetāpeyyāti
- if, apart from the purpose for which it was given, she exchanges it for something else, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. yaṁatthāya dinnaṁ taṁ ṭhapetvā aññaṁ cetāpeti, 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 got in exchange for a collective requisite that was designated for a specific purpose, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ … “idaṁ me, ayye, aññadatthikena parikkhārena aññuddisikena mahājanikena aññaṁ cetāpitaṁ 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 for a specific purpose and she perceives that it is, and she exchanges it for something else, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Aññadatthike aññadatthikasaññā aññaṁ cetāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it is for a specific purpose, but she is unsure of it, and she exchanges it for something else, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Aññadatthike vematikā aññaṁ cetāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it is for a specific purpose, but she does not perceive that it is, and she exchanges it for something else, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Aññadatthike anaññadatthikasaññā aññaṁ cetāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. When she receives in return what had been relinquished, it is to be used in accordance with the intention of the donors. Nissaṭṭhaṁ paṭilabhitvā yathādāne upanetabbaṁ.
If it is not for a specific purpose, but she perceives that it is, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anaññadatthike aññadatthikasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is not for a specific purpose, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anaññadatthike vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is not for a specific purpose, and she does not perceive that it is, there is no offense. Anaññadatthike anaññadatthikasaññā, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if she uses the remainder; sesakaṁ upaneti, if she uses it after getting permission from the owners; sāmike apaloketvā upaneti, 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.