True DhammaLibrary · Community
Bi Pc 453 min read

45. Not resolving a legal issue

Adhikaraṇa

A nun who agrees to settle a legal issue but then makes no effort to do so 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
  • 0.4CittāgāravaggaThe subchapter on galleries

0.545. AdhikaraṇasikkhāpadaNot resolving a legal issue

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 aññatarā bhikkhunī thullanandaṁ bhikkhuniṁ upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca—a certain nun went to the nun Thullanandā and said,1.3“ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī”ti.“Please come, venerable, and resolve this legal issue.”1.4Thullanandā bhikkhunī—Thullanandā agreed,1.5“sādhū”ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasameti na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti.but then neither resolved it nor made any effort to do so.

1.6Atha kho sā bhikkhunī bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi.That nun told the nuns what had happened.1.7Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,1.8“kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā bhikkhuniyā—“How could Venerable Thullanandā1.9‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā—1.10‘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?” …1.11“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī bhikkhuniyā—“Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā acted like this?”1.12‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā—1.13‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasameti na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karotī”ti?

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

1.15Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked her …1.16kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī bhikkhuniyā—“How could the nun Thullanandā act like this?1.17‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā—1.18‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasamessati na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karissati.1.19Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.20evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

1.21.0Final ruling

1.21.1“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.’”

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.
2.1.5BhikkhuniyātiBy a nun:
2.1.6aññāya bhikkhuniyā.by another nun.
2.1.7Adhikaraṇaṁ nāmaA legal issue:
2.1.8cattāri 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.
2.1.9Ehāyye imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehītiTo resolve a legal issue:
2.1.10ehāyye imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vinicchehi.to make a decision on a legal issue.
2.1.11PTS 4.302Sā pacchā anantarāyikinītiThen, if there were no obstacles:
2.1.12asati antarāye.when there is no obstacle.
2.1.13Neva vūpasameyyātiNeither resolves it:
2.1.14na sayaṁ vūpasameyya.she does not resolve it herself.
2.1.15Na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ kareyyātiNor makes any effort to resolve it:
2.1.16na aññaṁ āṇāpeyya.she does not ask anyone else.

2.1.17“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.

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1Upasampannāya 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.2.2.2Upasampannāya 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.2.2.3Upasampannāya 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.

2.2.4Anupasampannāya 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.2.2.5Anupasampannāya upasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If the other person is not fully ordained, but she perceives her 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 her as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

2.3.0Non-offenses

2.3.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.3.2sati antarāye,if there is an obstacle; 2.3.3pariyesitvā na labhati,if she searches, but is unable to find anyone to settle it; 2.3.4gilānāya,if she is sick; 2.3.5āpadāsu,if there is an emergency; 2.3.6ummattikāya,if she is insane; 2.3.7ādikammikāyāti.if she is the first offender.

2.3.8Pañcamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.The fifth training rule is finished.