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19. Cursing

Paraabhisapana

A nun who curses herself or another 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

0.519. ParaabhisapanasikkhāpadaCursing

1.0Origin story

1.1Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,1.2Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo attano bhaṇḍakaṁ apassantiyo caṇḍakāḷiṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavocuṁ—some nuns were unable to find their possessions. They said to the nun Caṇḍakāḷī,1.3“apāyye, amhākaṁ bhaṇḍakaṁ passeyyāsī”ti?“Venerable, have you seen our things?”

1.4Caṇḍakāḷī bhikkhunī ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti—Caṇḍakāḷī complained and criticized them,1.5“ahameva nūna corī, ahameva nūna alajjinī, yā ayyāyo attano bhaṇḍakaṁ apassantiyo tā maṁ evamāhaṁsu—“Why are you asking me if I’ve seen your things? Am I a thief? Am I shameless?1.6‘apāyye, amhākaṁ bhaṇḍakaṁ passeyyāsī’ti?1.7Sacāhaṁ, ayye, tumhākaṁ bhaṇḍakaṁ gaṇhāmi, assamaṇī homi, brahmacariyā cavāmi, nirayaṁ upapajjāmi;Venerables, if I took your things I wouldn’t be a monastic anymore. I would fall from the spiritual life and be reborn in hell.1.8yā pana maṁ abhūtena evamāha sāpi assamaṇī hotu, brahmacariyā cavatu, nirayaṁ upapajjatū”ti.May anyone who speaks such an untruth about me depart from monasticism, fall from the spiritual life, and be reborn in hell!”

1.9Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,1.10“kathañhi nāma ayyā caṇḍakāḷī attānampi parampi nirayenapi brahmacariyenapi abhisapissatī”ti …pe…“How could Venerable Caṇḍakāḷī curse herself and others, referring to hell and the spiritual life?” …1.11“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, caṇḍakāḷī bhikkhunī attānampi parampi nirayenapi brahmacariyenapi abhisapatī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that the nun Caṇḍakāḷī did this?”

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

1.13Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked her …1.14kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, caṇḍakāḷī bhikkhunī attānampi parampi nirayenapi brahmacariyenapi abhisapissati.“How could the nun Caṇḍakāḷī act like this?1.15Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.16evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

1.17.0Final ruling

1.17.1“Yā pana bhikkhunī attānaṁ vā paraṁ vā nirayena vā brahmacariyena vā abhisapeyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a nun curses herself or someone else, referring to hell or the spiritual life, 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.
2.1.5AttānantiHerself:
2.1.6paccattaṁ.oneself.
2.1.7ParantiSomeone else:
2.1.8upasampannaṁ.one who is fully ordained.2.1.9Nirayena vā brahmacariyena vā abhisapati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If she curses, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1PTS 4.277Upasampannāya upasampannasaññā nirayena vā brahmacariyena vā abhisapati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If the other person is fully ordained, and she perceives them as such, and she curses them, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.2Upasampannāya vematikā nirayena vā brahmacariyena vā abhisapati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If the other person is fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, yet she curses them, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.3Upasampannāya anupasampannasaññā nirayena vā brahmacariyena vā abhisapati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If the other person is fully ordained, but she does not perceive them as such, yet she curses them, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.4Tiracchānayoniyā vā pettivisayena vā manussadobhaggena vā abhisapati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If she curses, referring to the animal realm, the ghost realm, or human misfortune, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.5Anupasampannaṁ abhisapati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If she curses someone who is not fully ordained, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.6Anupasampannāya upasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If the other person is not fully ordained, but she perceives them as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.7Anupasampannāya vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If the other person is not fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.8Anupasampannāya 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:2.3.2atthapurekkhārāya,if she is aiming at something beneficial; 2.3.3dhammapurekkhārāya,if she is aiming at giving a teaching; 2.3.4anusāsanipurekkhārāya,if she is aiming at giving an instruction; 2.3.5ummattikāya,if she is insane; 2.3.6ādikammikāyāti.if she is the first offender.

2.3.7Navamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.The ninth training rule is finished.