1.0Origin story

1.1PTS 4.18Tena 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 āyasmā anuruddho kosalesu janapade sāvatthiṁ gacchanto sāyaṁ aññataraṁ gāmaṁ upagacchi.Venerable Anuruddha was walking through the Kosalan country on his way to Sāvatthī, when one evening he arrived at a certain village.1.3Tena kho pana samayena tasmiṁ gāme aññatarissā itthiyā āvasathāgāraṁ paññattaṁ hoti.Just then a woman in that village had prepared her guesthouse.¹1.4Atha kho āyasmā anuruddho yena sā itthī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ itthiṁ etadavoca—“sace te, bhagini, agaru, vaseyyāma ekarattaṁ āvasathāgāre”ti.Anuruddha went to that woman and said, “If it’s not inconvenient for you, I’d like to stay in your guesthouse for one night.”

1.5“Vaseyyātha, bhante”ti.“Please stay, venerable.”

1.6Aññepi addhikā yena sā itthī tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ itthiṁ etadavocuṁ—“sace te, ayye, agaru vaseyyāma ekarattaṁ āvasathāgāre”ti.Other travelers also went to that woman and said, “Ma’am, if it’s not troublesome for you, we’d like to stay in your guesthouse for one night.”

1.7“Eso kho ayyo samaṇo paṭhamaṁ upagato; sace so anujānāti, vaseyyāthā”ti.“Sirs, a monastic is already staying there. If he agrees, you may stay.”

1.8Atha kho te addhikā yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavocuṁ—“sace te, bhante, agaru, vaseyyāma ekarattaṁ āvasathāgāre”ti.Those travelers then approached Anuruddha and said, “If you don’t mind, venerable, we’d like to stay one night in the guesthouse.”

1.9“Vaseyyātha, āvuso”ti.“No problem.”

1.10PTS 4.19Atha kho sā itthī āyasmante anuruddhe saha dassanena paṭibaddhacittā ahosi.Now as soon as that woman had seen Anuruddha, she had fallen in love with him.1.11Atha kho sā itthī yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca—“ayyo, bhante, imehi manussehi ākiṇṇo na phāsu viharissati.She now went to him and said, “Sir, you won’t be comfortable surrounded by these people.1.12Sādhāhaṁ, bhante, ayyassa mañcakaṁ abbhantaraṁ paññapeyyan”ti.Why don’t I prepare a bed for you in the main house?”1.13Adhivāsesi kho āyasmā anuruddho tuṇhībhāvena.Anuruddha consented by remaining silent.

1.14Atha kho sā itthī āyasmato anuruddhassa mañcakaṁ abbhantaraṁ paññapetvā alaṅkatappaṭiyattā gandhagandhinī yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca—After preparing a bed in the main house, she put on jewelry and perfume, and she went to Anuruddha and said,1.15“ayyo, bhante, abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko, ahañcamhi abhirūpā dassanīyā pāsādikā.“You’re attractive, sir, and so am I.1.16Sādhāhaṁ, bhante, ayyassa pajāpati bhaveyyan”ti.Why don’t you take me as your wife?”1.17Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā anuruddho tuṇhī ahosi.But Anuruddha remained silent.1.18Dutiyampi kho …pe…She said the same thing a second time, but again got no response.1.19tatiyampi kho sā itthī āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca—And a third time she said,1.20“ayyo, bhante, abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko, ahañcamhi abhirūpā dassanīyā pāsādikā.“You’re attractive, sir, and so am I.1.21Sādhu, bhante, ayyo mañceva paṭicchatu sabbañca sāpateyyan”ti.Why don’t you take me and all this property?”1.22Tatiyampi kho āyasmā anuruddho tuṇhī ahosi.Once again Anuruddha remained silent.1.23Atha kho sā itthī sāṭakaṁ nikkhipitvā āyasmato anuruddhassa purato caṅkamatipi tiṭṭhatipi nisīdatipi seyyampi kappeti.She then threw off her wrap, and she walked back and forth, stood, sat down, and lay down in front of him.1.24Atha kho āyasmā anuruddho indriyāni okkhipitvā taṁ itthiṁ neva olokesi napi ālapi.But Anuruddha controlled his senses and neither looked at nor spoke to her.1.25Atha kho sā itthī—“acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho.Then that woman said, “It’s astonishing and amazing.1.26Bahū me manussā satenapi sahassenapi pahiṇanti.Many people pay a hundred or a thousand coins to be with me.1.27Ayaṁ pana samaṇo—mayā sāmaṁ yāciyamāno—na icchati mañceva paṭicchituṁ sabbañca sāpateyyan”tiBut this monastic doesn’t want me and all this property, even when I beg him!”1.28sāṭakaṁ nivāsetvā āyasmato anuruddhassa pādesu sirasā nipatitvā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca—After dressing, she bowed down with her head at Anuruddha’s feet and said,1.29“accayo maṁ, bhante, accagamā yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ yāhaṁ evamakāsiṁ.“Sir, I’ve made a mistake. I’ve been foolish, confused, and unskillful.1.30Tassā me, bhante, ayyo accayaṁ accayato paṭiggaṇhātu āyatiṁ saṁvarāyā”ti.Please forgive me so that I may restrain myself in the future.”

1.31“Taggha tvaṁ, bhagini, accayo accagamā yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ yā tvaṁ evamakāsi.“You have certainly made a mistake. You’ve been foolish, confused, and unskillful.1.32Yato ca kho tvaṁ, bhagini, accayaṁ accayato disvā yathādhammaṁ paṭikarosi, taṁ te mayaṁ paṭiggaṇhāma.But since you acknowledge your mistake and make proper amends, I forgive you.1.33Vuddhi hesā, bhagini, ariyassa vinaye yo accayaṁ accayato disvā yathādhammaṁ paṭikaroti āyatiñca saṁvaraṁ āpajjatī”ti.For this is called growth in the training of the noble ones: acknowledging a mistake, making proper amends, and undertaking restraint for the future.”²

1.34Atha kho sā itthī tassā rattiyā accayena āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappetvā sampavāretvā, āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.The following morning that woman personally served and satisfied Anuruddha with various kinds of fine foods. When he had finished his meal, she bowed and sat down to one side.1.35Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ itthiṁ āyasmā anuruddho dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi.And Anuruddha instructed, inspired, and gladdened her with a teaching.1.36Atha kho sā itthī—āyasmatā anuruddhena dhammiyā kathāya sandassitā samādapitā samuttejitā sampahaṁsitā—āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca—She then said to him,1.37“abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante.“Wonderful, sir, wonderful!1.38Seyyathāpi, bhante, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya—‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti;Just as one might set upright what’s overturned, or reveal what’s hidden, or show the way to one who’s lost, or bring a lamp into the dark so that one with eyes might see what’s there—1.39evamevaṁ ayyena anuruddhena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.just so have you made the Teaching clear in many ways.1.40Esāhaṁ, bhante, taṁ bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.I go for refuge to the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Sangha of monks.1.41Upāsikaṁ maṁ ayyo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.Please accept me as a lay follower who’s gone for refuge for life.”

1.42Atha kho āyasmā anuruddho sāvatthiṁ gantvā bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi.Soon afterwards, after arriving at Sāvatthī, Anuruddha told the monks what had happened.1.43Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The monks of few desires complained and criticized him,1.44“kathañhi nāma āyasmā anuruddho mātugāmena sahaseyyaṁ kappessatī”ti.“How could Venerable Anuruddha lie down in the same sleeping place as a woman?”

1.45Atha kho te bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe…After rebuking him in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned Anuruddha:1.46“saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, anuruddha, mātugāmena sahaseyyaṁ kappesī”ti?“Is it true, Anuruddha, that you did this?”

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

1.48Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma tvaṁ, anuruddha, mātugāmena sahaseyyaṁ kappessasi.The Buddha rebuked him … “Anuruddha, how could you do this?1.49Netaṁ, anuruddha, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.50evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: