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10. Watching entertainment

Naccagīta

A nun who goes to see a show must confess the offense.

Translated by Bhikkhu Brahmali · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
  • 0.2BhikkhunivibhaṅgaThe Nuns’ Analysis
  • 0.3PācittiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing confession
  • 0.4LasuṇavaggaThe subchapter on garlic

0.510. NaccagītasikkhāpadaWatching entertainment

1.0Origin story

1.1Tena samayena buddho bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary.1.2Tena kho pana samayena rājagahe giraggasamajjo hoti.At that time in Rājagaha there was a hilltop fair,1.3Chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo giraggasamajjaṁ dassanāya agamaṁsu.and the nuns from the group of six went to see it.1.4Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—People complained and criticized them,1.5“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo naccampi gītampi vāditampi dassanāya gacchissanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti.“How can nuns go to see dancing, singing, and music? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!”

1.6Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.The nuns heard the complaints of those people,1.7Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,1.8“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo naccampi gītampi vāditampi dassanāya gacchissantī”ti …pe…“How could the nuns from the group of six go to see dancing, singing, and music?” …1.9“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo naccampi gītampi vāditampi dassanāya gacchantī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that those nuns did that?”

1.10“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”

1.11Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them,1.12kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo naccampi gītampi vāditampi dassanāya gacchissanti.“How could the nuns from the group of six do this?1.13Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.14evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

1.15.0Final ruling

1.15.1“Yā pana bhikkhunī naccaṁ vā gītaṁ vā vāditaṁ vā dassanāya gaccheyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a nun goes to see dancing or singing or music, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

2.1.0Definitions

2.1.1Yā panātiA:
2.1.2yā yādisā …pe…whoever …
2.1.3bhikkhunītiNun:
2.1.4…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.
2.1.5Naccaṁ nāmaDancing:
2.1.6yaṁ kiñci naccaṁ.any kind of dancing.
2.1.7Gītaṁ nāmaSinging:
2.1.8yaṁ kiñci gītaṁ.any kind of singing.
2.1.9Vāditaṁ nāmaMusic:
2.1.10yaṁ kiñci vāditaṁ.any kind of music.

2.1.11PTS 4.268Dassanāya gacchati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If she is on her way to see it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.1.12Yattha ṭhitā passati vā suṇāti vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.Wherever she stands to see it or hear it, she commits an offense entailing confession.2.1.13Dassanūpacāraṁ vijahitvā punappunaṁ passati vā suṇāti vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.Every time she goes beyond the range of sight and then sees it or hears it again, she commits an offense entailing confession.

2.1.14Ekamekaṁ dassanāya gacchati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If she is on her way to see any one of the three, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.1.15Yattha ṭhitā passati vā suṇāti vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.Wherever she stands to see it or hear it, she commits an offense entailing confession.2.1.16Dassanūpacāraṁ vijahitvā punappunaṁ passati vā suṇāti vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.Every time she goes beyond the range of sight and then sees it or hears it again, she commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.0Non-offenses

2.2.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.2.2ārāme ṭhitā passati vā suṇāti vā,if she sees it or hears it while remaining in the monastery; 2.2.3bhikkhuniyā ṭhitokāsaṁ vā nisinnokāsaṁ vā nipannokāsaṁ vā āgantvā naccanti vā gāyanti vā vādenti vā,if the dancing, singing, or music comes to the place where the nun is standing, sitting, or lying down; 2.2.4paṭipathaṁ gacchantī passati vā suṇāti vā,if she sees it or hears it while walking in the opposite direction; 2.2.5sati karaṇīye gantvā passati vā suṇāti vā,if she goes there because there is something to be done and she then sees it or hears it; 2.2.6āpadāsu,if there is an emergency; 2.2.7ummattikāya,if she is insane; 2.2.8ādikammikāyāti.if she is the first offender.

2.2.9Dasamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.The tenth training rule is finished.

2.2.10Lasuṇavaggo paṭhamo.The first subchapter on garlic is finished.