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TheravÄda Vinaya TheravÄda Collection on Monastic Law
MahÄvibhaį¹
ga The Great Analysis
PÄcittiyakaį¹įøa The chapter on offenses entailing confession
OvÄdavagga The subchapter on the instruction
23. BhikkhunupassayasikkhÄpada Instructing nuns in a nunnery
Origin story
First substory
Tena samayena buddho bhagavÄ sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiį¹ nigrodhÄrÄme. At one time when the Buddha was staying in the Sakyan country in the Banyan Tree Monastery at Kapilavatthu,
Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyÄ bhikkhÅ« bhikkhunupassayaį¹ upasaį¹
kamitvÄ chabbaggiyÄ bhikkhuniyo ovadanti. the monks from the group of six went to the nunnery and instructed the nuns from the group of six. āNunneryā renders upassaya. According to the word definition below, this includes any place where a nun stays. In other words, it spans anything from a single hut, see Bi Pc 35, to a monastery. The Jain text The ÄcÄrÄį¹
ga-sÅ«tra, contains a passage that describes an upassaya as including a grassy area, that is, it must have been a compound of buildings or a monastery: āA layman might, for the sake of a mendicant ā¦ cutting and clipping the grass outside or within the upÄÅraya (= upassaya).ā See Jacobi, Hermann, trans. āJaina Sutras Part Iā. Motilal Babarsidass, 1964, p. 94.
Bhikkhuniyo chabbaggiyÄ bhikkhuniyo etadavocuį¹āSoon afterwards, other nuns said to the nuns from the group of six,
āethÄyye, ovÄdaį¹ gamissÄmÄāti. āCome, venerables, letās go to the instruction.ā
āYampi mayaį¹, ayye, gaccheyyÄma ovÄdassa kÄraį¹Ä, ayyÄ chabbaggiyÄ idheva ÄgantvÄ amhe ovadantÄ«āti. āThereās no need. The monks from the group of six came and instructed us right here.ā
Bhikkhuniyo ujjhÄyanti khiyyanti vipÄcentiāThe nuns complained and criticized the monks from the group of six,
ākathaƱhi nÄma chabbaggiyÄ bhikkhÅ« bhikkhunupassayaį¹ upasaį¹
kamitvÄ bhikkhuniyo ovadissantÄ«āti. āHow could the monks from the group of six go to the nunnery and instruct the nuns?ā
Atha kho tÄ bhikkhuniyo bhikkhÅ«naį¹ etamatthaį¹ Ärocesuį¹. Then those nuns told the monks.
Ye te bhikkhÅ« appicchÄ ā¦peā¦ te ujjhÄyanti khiyyanti vipÄcentiāThe monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks,
ākathaƱhi nÄma chabbaggiyÄ bhikkhÅ« bhikkhunupassayaį¹ upasaį¹
kamitvÄ bhikkhuniyo ovadissantÄ«āti ā¦peā¦ āHow could those monks do this?āā¦
āsaccaį¹ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, bhikkhunupassayaį¹ upasaį¹
kamitvÄ bhikkhuniyo ovadathÄāti? āIs it true, monks, that you did this?ā
āSaccaį¹, bhagavÄāti. āItās true, sir.ā
Vigarahi buddho bhagavÄ ā¦peā¦ The Buddha rebuked them ā¦
kathaƱhi nÄma tumhe, moghapurisÄ, bhikkhunupassayaį¹ upasaį¹
kamitvÄ bhikkhuniyo ovadissatha. āFoolish men, how could you do this?
Netaį¹, moghapurisÄ, appasannÄnaį¹ vÄ pasÄdÄya ā¦peā¦ This will affect peopleās confidence ā¦ā ā¦
evaƱca pana, bhikkhave, imaį¹ sikkhÄpadaį¹ uddiseyyÄthaāāAnd, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:
Preliminary ruling
āYo pana bhikkhu bhikkhunupassayaį¹ upasaį¹
kamitvÄ bhikkhuniyo ovadeyya, pÄcittiyanāti. āIf a monk goes to a nunnery and instructs the nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.āā
EvaƱcidaį¹ bhagavatÄ bhikkhÅ«naį¹ sikkhÄpadaį¹ paƱƱattaį¹ hoti. In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.
Second substory
Tena kho pana samayena mahÄpajÄpati gotamÄ« gilÄnÄ hoti. Soon afterwards MahÄpajÄpati GotamÄ« became sick.
TherÄ bhikkhÅ« yena mahÄpajÄpati gotamÄ« tenupasaį¹
kamiį¹su; The senior monks went to see her
upasaį¹
kamitvÄ mahÄpajÄpatiį¹ gotamiį¹ etadavocuį¹āā and said,
kacci, gotami, khamanÄ«yaį¹, kacci yÄpanÄ«yanāti? āWe hope youāre bearing up, GotamÄ«, we hope youāre getting better?ā
āNa me, ayyÄ, khamanÄ«yaį¹ na yÄpanÄ«yaį¹ā. āIām not bearing up, venerables, and Iām not getting better.
āIį¹
ghayyÄ, dhammaį¹ desethÄāti. Please give me a teaching.ā
āNa, bhagini, kappati bhikkhunupassayaį¹ upasaį¹
kamitvÄ bhikkhuniyo dhammaį¹ desetunāti kukkuccÄyantÄ na desesuį¹. āItās not allowable for us to go a nunnery and teach the nuns.ā And being afraid of wrongdoing, they did not teach her.
Atha kho bhagavÄ pubbaį¹hasamayaį¹ nivÄsetvÄ pattacÄ«varamÄdÄya yena mahÄpajÄpati gotamÄ« tenupasaį¹
kami; upasaį¹
kamitvÄ paƱƱatte Äsane nisÄ«di. Soon afterwards, after robing up in the morning, the Buddha took his bowl and robe and went to MahÄpajÄpati GotamÄ« where he sat down on the prepared seat.
Nisajja kho bhagavÄ mahÄpajÄpatiį¹ gotamiį¹ etadavocaāHe said to her,
ākacci, gotami, khamanÄ«yaį¹, kacci yÄpanÄ«yanāti? āI hope youāre bearing up, GotamÄ«, I hope youāre getting better?ā
āPubbe me, bhante, therÄ bhikkhÅ« ÄgantvÄ dhammaį¹ desenti. āPreviously, sir, the senior monks would come and teach me,
Tena me phÄsu hoti. and because of that I would be comfortable.
IdÄni panaāābhagavatÄ paį¹ikkhittanāti, kukkuccÄyantÄ na desenti. But now that this has been prohibited by the Buddha, they donāt teach because theyāre afraid of wrongdoing.
Tena me na phÄsu hotÄ«āti. Because of that Iām not comfortable.ā
Atha kho bhagavÄ mahÄpajÄpatiį¹ gotamiį¹ dhammiyÄ kathÄya sandassetvÄ samÄdapetvÄ samuttejetvÄ sampahaį¹setvÄ uį¹į¹hÄyÄsanÄ pakkÄmi. After instructing, inspiring, and gladdening her with a teaching, the Buddha got up from his seat and left.
Atha kho bhagavÄ etasmiį¹ nidÄne etasmiį¹ pakaraį¹e dhammiį¹ kathaį¹ katvÄ bhikkhÅ« ÄmantesiāSoon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks:
āanujÄnÄmi, bhikkhave, bhikkhunupassayaį¹ upasaį¹
kamitvÄ gilÄnaį¹ bhikkhuniį¹ ovadituį¹. āMonks, I allow you to go a nunnery and instruct a sick nun.
EvaƱca pana, bhikkhave, imaį¹ sikkhÄpadaį¹ uddiseyyÄthaāAnd so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:
Final ruling
āYo pana bhikkhu bhikkhunupassayaį¹ upasaį¹
kamitvÄ bhikkhuniyo ovadeyya, aƱƱatra samayÄ, pÄcittiyaį¹. āIf a monk goes to a nunnery and instructs the nuns, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession.
TatthÄyaį¹ samayo. GilÄnÄ hoti bhikkhunÄ«āayaį¹ tattha samayoāti. This is the appropriate occasion: a nun is sick.āā
Definitions
Yo panÄti A:
yo yÄdiso ā¦peā¦ whoever ā¦
bhikkhūti Monk:
ā¦peā¦ ayaį¹ imasmiį¹ atthe adhippeto bhikkhÅ«ti. ā¦ The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to standāthis sort of monk is meant in this case.
Bhikkhunupassayo nÄma A nunnery:
yattha bhikkhuniyo ekarattampi vasanti. wherever nuns stay, even for a single night.
Upasaį¹
kamitvÄti Goes to:
tattha gantvÄ. goes there.
BhikkhunÄ« nÄma The nuns:
ubhatosaį¹
ghe upasampannÄ. they have been given the full ordination by both Sanghas.
OvadeyyÄti Instructs:
aį¹į¹hahi garudhammehi ovadati, Äpatti pÄcittiyassa. if he instructs about the eight important principles, he commits an offense entailing confession.
AƱƱatra samayÄti Except on an appropriate occasion:
į¹hapetvÄ samayaį¹. unless it is an appropriate occasion.
GilÄnÄ nÄma bhikkhunÄ« A sick nun:
na sakkoti ovÄdÄya vÄ saį¹vÄsÄya vÄ gantuį¹. she is not able to go to the instruction or to a formal meeting of the community. āA formal meeting of the communityā, saį¹vÄsa, is defined at Bu Pc 69:2.1.21, as the observance-day ceremony, the invitation ceremony, or a legal procedure.
Permutations
UpasampannÄya upasampannasaƱƱī bhikkhunupassayaį¹ upasaį¹
kamitvÄ aƱƱatra samayÄ ovadati, Äpatti pÄcittiyassa. If she is fully ordained, and he perceives her as such, and he goes to the nunnery and instructs her, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession.
UpasampannÄya vematiko bhikkhunupassayaį¹ upasaį¹
kamitvÄ aƱƱatra samayÄ ovadati, Äpatti pÄcittiyassa. If she is fully ordained, but he is unsure of it, and he goes to the nunnery and instructs her, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession.
UpasampannÄya anupasampannasaƱƱī bhikkhunupassayaį¹ upasaį¹
kamitvÄ aƱƱatra samayÄ ovadati, Äpatti pÄcittiyassa. If she is fully ordained, but he does not perceive her as such, and he goes to the nunnery and instructs her, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession.
AƱƱena dhammena ovadati, Äpatti dukkaį¹assa. If he instructs her with another teaching, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.
EkatoupasampannÄya ovadati, Äpatti dukkaį¹assa. If he instructs a nun who is fully ordained only on one side, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.
AnupasampannÄya upasampannasaƱƱī, Äpatti dukkaį¹assa. If she is not fully ordained, but he perceives her as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.
AnupasampannÄya vematiko, Äpatti dukkaį¹assa. If she is not fully ordained, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.
AnupasampannÄya anupasampannasaƱƱī, anÄpatti. If she is not fully ordained, and he does not perceive her as such, there is no offense.
Non-offenses
AnÄpattiāThere is no offense:
samaye, if it is an appropriate occasion;
uddesaį¹ dento, if he recites;
paripucchaį¹ dento, if he tests them;
āosÄrehi ayyÄāti vuccamÄno osÄreti, if he recites when asked to do so; That osÄreti must mean āreciteā can be seen from Bu Pc 4:2.3.5 where there is no offense if osÄrentaį¹ opÄteti, āhe prompts one who is osÄrentaį¹.ā The difference between uddesaį¹ deti and osÄreti is not clear to me.
paƱhaį¹ pucchati, if he asks a question;
paƱhaį¹ puį¹į¹ho katheti, if he replies when asked a question;
aƱƱassatthÄya bhaį¹antaį¹ bhikkhuniyo suį¹anti, if he is speaking for the benefit of someone else and the nuns listen in;
sikkhamÄnÄya, if it is to a trainee nun;
sÄmaį¹eriyÄ, if it is to a novice nun;
ummattakassa, if he is insane;
ÄdikammikassÄti. if he is the first offender.
BhikkhunupassayasikkhÄpadaį¹ niį¹į¹hitaį¹ tatiyaį¹. The training rule on instructing nuns in a nunnery, the third, is finished.