0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
0.2MahāvibhaṅgaThe Great Analysis
0.3PācittiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing confession
0.4OvādavaggaThe subchapter on the instruction

0.530. RahonisajjasikkhāpadaSitting alone with a nun

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 āyasmato udāyissa purāṇadutiyikā bhikkhunīsu pabbajitā hoti.Venerable Udāyī’s ex-wife became a nun.1.3Sā āyasmato udāyissa santike abhikkhaṇaṁ āgacchati, āyasmāpi udāyī tassā bhikkhuniyā santike abhikkhaṇaṁ gacchati.She often went to see Udāyī, and he often went to see her.1.4Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā udāyī tassā bhikkhuniyā saddhiṁ eko ekāya raho nisajjaṁ kappesi.And Udāyī would sit down in private alone with that nun.

1.5Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The monks of few desires complained and criticized him,1.6“kathañhi nāma āyasmā udāyī bhikkhuniyā saddhiṁ eko ekāya raho nisajjaṁ kappessatī”ti …pe…“How can Venerable Udāyī sit down in private alone with a nun?” …1.7“saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, udāyi, bhikkhuniyā saddhiṁ eko ekāya raho nisajjaṁ kappesī”ti?“Is it true, Udāyī, that you do this?”

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

1.9Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked him …1.10kathañhi nāma tvaṁ, moghapurisa, bhikkhuniyā saddhiṁ eko ekāya raho nisajjaṁ kappessasi.“Foolish man, how can you do this?1.11Netaṁ, moghapurisa, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.12evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

1.13.0Final ruling

1.13.1“Yo pana bhikkhu bhikkhuniyā saddhiṁ eko ekāya raho nisajjaṁ kappeyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a monk sits down in private alone with a nun, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

2.1.0Definitions

2.1.1Yo panātiA:: 2.1.2yo yādiso …pe…whoever …
2.1.3bhikkhūtiMonk:: 2.1.4…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.… The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case.
2.1.5Bhikkhunī nāmaA nun:: 2.1.6ubhatosaṅghe upasampannā.she has been given the full ordination by both Sanghas.
2.1.7SaddhintiWith:: 2.1.8ekato.together.
2.1.9Eko ekāyātiAlone:: 2.1.10bhikkhu ceva hoti bhikkhunī ca.just the monk and the nun.
2.1.11PTS 4.69Raho nāmaIn private:: 2.1.12cakkhussa raho sotassa raho.private to the eye and private to the ear.
2.1.13Cakkhussa raho nāmaPrivate to the eye:: 2.1.14na sakkā hoti akkhiṁ vā nikhaṇīyamāne bhamukaṁ vā ukkhipīyamāne sīsaṁ vā ukkhipīyamāne passituṁ.one is unable to see them winking, raising an eyebrow, or nodding.
2.1.15Sotassa raho nāmaPrivate to the ear:: 2.1.16na sakkā hoti pakatikathā sotuṁ.one is unable to hear ordinary speech.
2.1.17Nisajjaṁ kappeyyātiSits:: 2.1.18bhikkhuniyā nisinnāya bhikkhu upanisinno vā hoti upanipanno vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.if the monk sits down or lies down next to the seated nun, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.1.19Bhikkhu nisinne bhikkhunī upanisinnā vā hoti upanipannā vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.If the nun sits down or lies down next to the seated monk, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.1.20Ubho vā nisinnā honti ubho vā nipannā, āpatti pācittiyassa.If both are seated or both are lying down, he commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1Raho rahosaññī eko ekāya nisajjaṁ kappeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is private, and he perceives it as such, and he sits down alone with a nun, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.2Raho vematiko eko ekāya nisajjaṁ kappeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is private, but he is unsure of it, and he sits down alone with a nun, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.3Raho arahosaññī eko ekāya nisajjaṁ kappeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is private, but he does not perceive it as such, and he sits down alone with a nun, he commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.4Araho rahosaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is not private, but he perceives it as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.5Araho vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is not private, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.6Araho arahosaññī, anāpatti.If it is not private, and he does not perceive it as such, there is no offense.

2.3.0Non-offenses

2.3.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.3.2yo koci viññū dutiyo hoti,if he has a companion who understands;2.3.3tiṭṭhati na nisīdati,if he stands and does not sit down;2.3.4arahopekkho,if he is not seeking privacy;2.3.5aññavihito nisīdati,if he sits down preoccupied with something else;¹2.3.6ummattakassa,if he is insane;2.3.7ādikammikassāti.if he is the first offender.

2.3.8Rahonisajjasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dasamaṁ.The training rule on sitting alone with a nun, the tenth, is finished.

2.3.9Ovādavaggo tatiyo.The third subchapter on the instruction is finished.

2.3.10TassuddānaṁThis is the summary:

2.3.11Asammataatthaṅgatū,“Not appointed, set,2.3.12Passayāmisadānena;Dwelling place, worldly gain, and with giving;2.3.13Sibbati addhānaṁ nāvaṁ bhuñjeyya,He sews, a road, a boat, should eat,2.3.14Eko ekāya te dasāti.Alone: those are the ten.”

30. Sitting alone with a nun