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27. Blocking robe-cloth distribution

Paṭibāhana

A nun who blocks an appropriate distribution of robe-cloth 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
  • 0.4NaggavaggaThe subchapter on nakedness

0.527. PaṭibāhanasikkhāpadaBlocking robe-cloth distribution

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 bhikkhunisaṅghassa akālacīvaraṁ uppannaṁ hoti.At that time out-of-season robe-cloth had been given to the Sangha of nuns,1.3Atha kho bhikkhunisaṅgho taṁ cīvaraṁ bhājetukāmo sannipati.and the Sangha gathered to share it out.1.4Tena kho pana samayena thullanandāya bhikkhuniyā antevāsiniyo bhikkhuniyo pakkantā honti.Just then the nuns who were pupils of the nun Thullanandā were away.1.5Thullanandā bhikkhunī tā bhikkhuniyo etadavoca—Thullanandā said to the nuns:1.6“ayye, bhikkhuniyo pakkantā, na tāva cīvaraṁ bhājīyissatī”ti.“Venerables, there are nuns who are away. We cannot distribute the robe-cloth until they get back.”1.7Cīvaravibhaṅgaṁ paṭibāhi.And she blocked the distribution of robe-cloth.1.8Bhikkhuniyo na tāva cīvaraṁ bhājīyissatīti pakkamiṁsu.Since the robe-cloth could not be distributed until those nuns returned, other nuns left.1.9Thullanandā bhikkhunī antevāsinīsu bhikkhunīsu āgatāsu taṁ cīvaraṁ bhājāpesi.Then, when her pupils returned, Thullanandā had that robe-cloth distributed.

1.10Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,1.11“kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā dhammikaṁ cīvaravibhaṅgaṁ paṭibāhissatī”ti …pe…“How could Venerable Thullanandā block a legitimate distribution of robe-cloth?” …1.12“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī dhammikaṁ cīvaravibhaṅgaṁ paṭibāhatī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā did this?”

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

1.14Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked her …1.15kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī dhammikaṁ cīvaravibhaṅgaṁ paṭibāhissati.“How could the nun Thullanandā do this?1.16Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.17evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

1.18.0Final ruling

1.18.1“Yā pana bhikkhunī dhammikaṁ cīvaravibhaṅgaṁ paṭibāheyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a nun blocks a legitimate distribution of robe-cloth, 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.
2.1.5Dhammiko nāma cīvaravibhaṅgoA legitimate distribution of robe-cloth:
2.1.6samaggo bhikkhunisaṅgho sannipatitvā bhājeti.it is distributed by a unanimous Sangha of nuns.
2.1.7PTS 4.285PaṭibāheyyātiBlocks:
2.1.8kathaṁ imaṁ cīvaraṁ na bhājeyyāti paṭibāhati, āpatti pācittiyassa.if she blocks it with the thought, “What can be done so that this robe-cloth isn’t distributed?”, she commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1Dhammike dhammikasaññā paṭibāhati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is a legitimate legal procedure, and she perceives it as such, and she blocks it, she commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.2Dhammike vematikā paṭibāhati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but she is unsure of it, and she blocks it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.3Dhammike adhammikasaññā paṭibāhati, anāpatti.If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but she perceives it as illegitimate, and she blocks it, there is no offense.

2.2.4Adhammike dhammikasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but she perceives it as legitimate, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.5Adhammike vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.6Adhammike adhammikasaññā, anāpatti.If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, and she perceives it as such, there is no offense.

2.3.0Non-offenses

2.3.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.3.2ānisaṁsaṁ dassetvā paṭibāhati,if she blocks it after demonstrating a benefit; 2.3.3ummattikāya,if she is insane; 2.3.4ādikammikāyāti.if she is the first offender.

2.3.5Sattamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.The seventh training rule is finished.