Theravāda Vinaya
Translators: brahmali
Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law
Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
The Nuns’ Analysis
Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The chapter on offenses entailing confession
Cittāgāravagga
The subchapter on pleasure houses
45. Adhikaraṇasikkhāpada
The training rule on legal issues
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,
Tena kho pana samayena aññatarā bhikkhunī thullanandaṁ bhikkhuniṁ upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca—
a certain nun went to the nun Thullanandā and said,
“ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī”ti.
“Please come, Venerable, and resolve this legal issue.”
Thullanandā bhikkhunī—
Thullanandā agreed,
“sādhū”ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasameti na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti.
but then neither resolved it nor made any effort to do so.
Atha kho sā bhikkhunī bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi.
That nun told the nuns what had happened.
Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,
“kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā bhikkhuniyā—
“How could Venerable Thullanandā
‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā—
‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasamessati na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karissatī”ti …pe…
agree to resolve a legal issue, but then neither resolve it nor make any effort to do so?” …
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī bhikkhuniyā—
“Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā acted like this?”
‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā—
‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasameti na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karotī”ti?
“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
“It’s true, Sir.”
Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…
The Buddha rebuked her …
kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī bhikkhuniyā—
“How could the nun Thullanandā act like this?
‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā—
‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasamessati na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karissati.
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 bhikkhuniyā—‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā—‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā sā pacchā anantarāyikinī neva vūpasameyya na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ kareyya, pācittiyan”ti.
‘If, when a nun is requested by a nun to resolve a legal issue, she agrees, but then neither resolves it nor makes any effort to resolve it, then, if there were no obstacles, 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.
Bhikkhuniyāti
By a nun:
aññāya bhikkhuniyā.
by another nun.
Adhikaraṇaṁ nāma
A legal issue:
cattāri adhikaraṇāni— vivādādhikaraṇaṁ, anuvādādhikaraṇaṁ, āpattādhikaraṇaṁ, kiccādhikaraṇaṁ.
there are four kinds of legal issues: legal issues arising from disputes, legal issues arising from accusations, legal issues arising from offenses, legal issues arising from business.
Ehāyye imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehīti
To resolve a legal issue:
ehāyye imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vinicchehi.
to make a decision on a legal issue.
Sā pacchā anantarāyikinīti
Then, if there were no obstacles:
asati antarāye.
when there is no obstacle.
Neva vūpasameyyāti
Neither resolves it:
na sayaṁ vūpasameyya.
she does not resolve it herself.
Na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ kareyyāti
Nor makes any effort to resolve it:
na aññaṁ āṇāpeyya.
she does not ask anyone else.
“Neva vūpasamessāmi na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karissāmī”ti dhuraṁ nikkhittamatte, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If, thinking, “I’ll neither resolve it nor make any effort to resolve it,” then, by the mere fact of abandoning her duty, she commits an offense entailing confession.
Upasampannāya upasampannasaññā adhikaraṇaṁ neva vūpasameti na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If the other person is fully ordained, and she perceives her as such, and she neither resolves the legal issue nor makes any effort to resolve it, she commits an offense entailing confession.
Upasampannāya vematikā adhikaraṇaṁ neva vūpasameti, na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If the other person is fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, and she neither resolves the legal issue nor makes any effort to resolve it, she commits an offense entailing confession.
Upasampannāya anupasampannasaññā adhikaraṇaṁ neva vūpasameti, na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If the other person is fully ordained, but she does not perceive her as such, and she neither resolves the legal issue nor makes any effort to resolve it, she commits an offense entailing confession.
Anupasampannāya adhikaraṇaṁ neva vūpasameti, na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If the other person is not fully ordained, and she neither resolves the legal issue nor makes any effort to resolve it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Anupasampannāya upasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If the other person is not fully ordained, but she perceives her as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Anupasampannāya vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If the other person is not fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Anupasampannāya anupasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If the other person is not fully ordained, and she does not perceive her as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Anāpatti—
There is no offense:
sati antarāye,
if there is an obstacle;
pariyesitvā na labhati,
if she searches, but is unable to find anyone to settle it;
gilānāya,
if she is sick;
āpadāsu,
if there is an emergency;
ummattikāya,
if she is insane;
ādikammikāyāti.
if she is the first offender.
Pañcamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.
The fifth training rule is finished.