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18. Complaining without reflection

Paraujjhāpanaka

A nun who criticizes someone without reflection 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
  • 0.4RattandhakāravaggaThe subchapter on the dark of the night

0.518. ParaujjhāpanakasikkhāpadaComplaining without reflection

1.0Origin story

1.1Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.1.2Tena kho pana samayena bhaddāya kāpilāniyā antevāsinī bhikkhunī bhaddaṁ kāpilāniṁ sakkaccaṁ upaṭṭheti.At that time a nun who was a pupil of Bhaddā Kāpilānī attended on her with care.1.3Bhaddā kāpilānī bhikkhuniyo etadavoca—Bhaddā Kāpilānī said to the nuns,1.4“ayaṁ maṁ, ayye, bhikkhunī sakkaccaṁ upaṭṭheti, imissāhaṁ cīvaraṁ dassāmī”ti.“Venerables, this nun is attending on me with care. I’ll give her a robe.”1.5Atha kho sā bhikkhunī duggahitena dūpadhāritena paraṁ ujjhāpesi—Then, because of a misunderstanding and a lack of proper reflection, that nun complained about Bhaddā Kāpilānī,1.6“ahaṁ kirāyye, ayyaṁ na sakkaccaṁ upaṭṭhemi, na kira me ayyā cīvaraṁ dassatī”ti.“Venerables, if I didn’t attend on her with care, she wouldn’t give me a robe.”

1.7Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,1.8“kathañhi nāma bhikkhunī duggahitena dūpadhāritena paraṁ ujjhāpessatī”ti …pe…“How could a nun complain about someone else because of a misunderstanding and a lack of proper reflection?” …1.9“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī duggahitena dūpadhāritena paraṁ ujjhāpetī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that a nun did this?”

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

1.11Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked her …1.12kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī duggahitena dūpadhāritena paraṁ ujjhāpessati.“How could a nun act in this way?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 duggahitena dūpadhāritena paraṁ ujjhāpeyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a nun complains about someone else because of a misunderstanding and a lack of proper reflection, 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.
2.1.5DuggahitenātiBecause of a misunderstanding:
2.1.6aññathā gahitena.because of wrong understanding.
2.1.7DūpadhāritenātiBecause of a lack of proper reflection:
2.1.8aññathā upadhāritena.because of wrong reflection.
2.1.9ParantiSomeone else:
2.1.10upasampannaṁ ujjhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.if she complains about one who is fully ordained, she commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1PTS 4.276Upasampannāya upasampannasaññā ujjhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.If the other person is fully ordained, and she perceives them as such, and she complains about them, she commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.2Upasampannāya vematikā ujjhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.If the other person is fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, and she complains about them, she commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.3Upasampannāya anupasampannasaññā ujjhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.If the other person is fully ordained, but she does not perceive them as such, and she complains about them, she commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.4Anupasampannaṁ ujjhāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If she complains about someone who is not fully ordained, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.5Anupasampannāya upasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If the other person is not fully ordained, but she perceives them as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.6Anupasampannāya vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If the other person is not fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.7Anupasampannāya anupasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If the other person is not fully ordained, and she does not perceive them as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

2.3.0Non-offenses

2.3.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.3.2ummattikāya,if she is insane; 2.3.3ādikammikāyāti.if she is the first offender.

2.3.4Aṭṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.The eighth training rule is finished.