Theravāda Vinaya
Translators: brahmali
Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law
Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
The Nuns’ Analysis
Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The chapter on offenses entailing confession
Rattandhakāravagga
The subchapter on the dark of the night
16. Anāpucchāabhinisīdanasikkhāpada
The training rule on sitting down without asking permission
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.
Tena kho pana samayena thullanandā bhikkhunī pacchābhattaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamitvā sāmike anāpucchā āsane abhinisīdatipi abhinipajjatipi.
At that time the nun Thullanandā visited families after the meal, and she sat down and lay down on the seats without asking permission of the owners.
Manussā thullanandaṁ bhikkhuniṁ hirīyamānā āsane neva abhinisīdanti na abhinipajjanti.
Because of Thullanandā, the people there had qualms, neither sitting nor lying down.
Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
They then complained and criticized her,
“kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā pacchābhattaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamitvā sāmike anāpucchā āsane abhinisīdissatipi abhinipajjissatipī”ti.
“How could Venerable Thullanandā visit families after the meal, and then sit down and lie down on the seats without asking the owners for permission?”
Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.
The nuns heard the complaints of those people.
Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,
“kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā pacchābhattaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamitvā sāmike anāpucchā āsane abhinisīdissatipi abhinipajjissatipī”ti …pe…
“How could Venerable Thullanandā act in this way?” …
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī pacchābhattaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamitvā sāmike anāpucchā āsane abhinisīdatipi abhinipajjatipī”ti?
“Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā did this?”
“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
“It’s true, Sir.”
Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…
The Buddha rebuked her …
kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī pacchābhattaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamitvā sāmike anāpucchā āsane abhinisīdissatipi abhinipajjissatipi.
“How could the nun Thullanandā act in this way?
Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…
This will affect people’s confidence …” …
evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
“Yā pana bhikkhunī pacchābhattaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamitvā sāmike anāpucchā āsane abhinisīdeyya vā abhinipajjeyya vā, pācittiyan”ti.
‘If a nun visits families after the meal, and then sits down or lies down on a seat without asking permission of the owners, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”
Yā panāti
A:
yā yādisā …pe…
whoever …
bhikkhunīti
Nun:
…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā 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.
Pacchābhattaṁ nāma
After the meal:
majjhanhike vītivatte yāva atthaṅgate sūriye.
when the middle of the day has passed, until sunset.
Kulaṁ nāma
A family:
cattāri kulāni— khattiyakulaṁ, brāhmaṇakulaṁ, vessakulaṁ, suddakulaṁ.
there are four kinds of families: the aristocratic family, the brahmin family, the merchant family, the worker family.
Upasaṅkamitvāti
Visits:
tattha gantvā.
goes there.
Sāmike anāpucchāti
Without asking permission of the owners:
yo tasmiṁ kule manusso sāmiko dātuṁ, taṁ anāpucchā.
not having asked permission of a person in that family who is an owner and who has the authority to give.
Āsanaṁ nāma
A seat:
pallaṅkassa okāso vuccati.
a place for sitting cross-legged is what is meant.
Abhinisīdeyyāti
Sits down:
tasmiṁ abhinisīdati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
if she sits down on that seat, she commits an offense entailing confession.
Abhinipajjeyyāti
Lies down:
tasmiṁ abhinipajjati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
if she lies down on that seat, she commits an offense entailing confession.
Anāpucchite anāpucchitasaññā āsane abhinisīdati vā abhinipajjati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If she has not asked permission, and she does not perceive that she has, and she sits down or lies down on a seat, she commits an offense entailing confession.
Anāpucchite vematikā āsane abhinisīdati vā abhinipajjati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If she has not asked permission, but she is unsure of it, and she sits down or lies down on a seat, she commits an offense entailing confession.
Anāpucchite āpucchitasaññā āsane abhinisīdati vā abhinipajjati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If she has not asked permission, but she perceives that she has, and she sits down or lies down on a seat, she commits an offense entailing confession.
Pallaṅkassa anokāse āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If it is not a place for sitting cross-legged, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Āpucchite anāpucchitasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If she has asked permission, but she does not perceive that she has, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Āpucchite vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If she has asked permission, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Āpucchite āpucchitasaññā, anāpatti.
If she has asked permission, and she perceives that she has, there is no offense.
Anāpatti—
There is no offense:
āpucchā āsane abhinisīdati vā abhinipajjati vā,
if she sits down or lies down after asking permission;
dhuvapaññatte,
if a dedicated seat is permanently ready for her;
gilānāya,
if she is sick;
āpadāsu,
if there is an emergency;
ummattikāya,
if she is insane;
ādikammikāyāti.
if she is the first offender.
Chaṭṭhasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.
The sixth training rule is finished.