- 0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
- 0.2BhikkhunivibhaṅgaThe Nuns’ Analysis
- 0.3PācittiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing confession
- 0.4ĀrāmavaggaThe subchapter on monasteries
0.559. OvādūpasaṅkamanasikkhāpadaNot seeking the instruction
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 bhikkhuniyo uposathampi na pucchanti ovādampi na yācanti.At that time the nuns did not enquire about the observance day nor ask for the instruction.1.3Bhikkhū ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The monks complained and criticized them,1.4“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo uposathampi na pucchissanti ovādampi na yācissantī”ti …pe…“How can the nuns not enquire about the observance day nor ask for the instruction?” …1.5“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo uposathampi na pucchanti ovādampi na yācantī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that the nuns don’t do this?”
1.6“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”
1.7Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.8kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo uposathampi na pucchissanti ovādampi na yācissanti.“How can the nuns not do this?1.9Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.10evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
1.11.0Final ruling
1.11.1“Anvaddhamāsaṁ bhikkhuniyā bhikkhusaṅghato dve dhammā paccāsīsitabbā—uposathapucchakañca ovādūpasaṅkamanañca. Taṁ atikkāmentiyā pācittiyan”ti.‘Every half-month a nun should seek two things from the Sangha of monks: asking it about the observance day and going to it for the instruction. If she lets the half-month pass, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”1
2.0Definitions
- 2.1AnvaddhamāsantiEvery half-month:
- 2.2anuposathikaṁ.every observance day.
- 2.3Uposatho nāmaThe observance day:
- 2.4dve uposathā— cātuddasiko ca pannarasiko ca.there are two observance days: the fourteenth and the fifteenth day of the lunar half-month.2
- 2.5Ovādo nāmaThe instruction:
- 2.6aṭṭha garudhammā.the eight important principles.2.7“Uposathampi na pucchissāmi ovādampi na yācissāmī”ti dhuraṁ nikkhittamatte āpatti pācittiyassa.If she thinks, “I won’t enquire about the observance day, nor ask for the instruction,” then by the mere fact of abandoning her duty, she commits an offense entailing confession.
2.8.0Non-offenses
2.8.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.9sati antarāye,if there is an obstacle; 2.10pariyesitvā dutiyikaṁ bhikkhuniṁ na labhati,if she searches for a companion nun, but does not find one; 2.11gilānāya,if she is sick; 2.12āpadāsu,if there is an emergency; 2.13ummattikāya,if she is insane; 2.14ādikammikāyāti.if she is the first offender.
2.15Navamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.The ninth training rule is finished.