0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
0.2MahāvibhaṅgaThe Great Analysis
0.3PāṭidesanīyakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing acknowledgment

0.41. PaṭhamapāṭidesanīyasikkhāpadaThe training rule on receiving a nun’s food

0.5PTS 4.175Ime kho panāyasmanto cattāro pāṭidesanīyā dhammā uddesaṁ āgacchanti.Venerables, these four rules on acknowledgment come up for recitation.

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 sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā paṭikkamanakāle aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ passitvā etadavoca—a certain nun was returning from almsround in Sāvatthī. She saw a monk and said to him,1.3“handāyya, bhikkhaṁ paṭiggaṇhā”ti.“Here, venerable, please take some almsfood.”

1.4“Suṭṭhu, bhaginī”ti sabbeva aggahesi.Saying, “Alright, sister,” he took everything.1.5Sā upakaṭṭhe kāle nāsakkhi piṇḍāya carituṁ, chinnabhattā ahosi.But because the time for eating was coming to an end, she was not able to go for alms, and she missed her meal.

1.6Atha kho sā bhikkhunī dutiyampi divasaṁ …pe…The next day1.7tatiyampi divasaṁ sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā paṭikkamanakāle taṁ bhikkhuṁ passitvā etadavoca—and the following day the same thing happened again.1.8“handāyya, bhikkhaṁ paṭiggaṇhā”ti.1.9“Suṭṭhu, bhaginī”ti sabbeva aggahesi.1.10Sā upakaṭṭhe kāle nāsakkhi piṇḍāya carituṁ, chinnabhattā ahosi.1.11Atha kho sā bhikkhunī catutthe divase rathikāya pavedhentī gacchati.On the fourth day that nun was walking along a street, trembling.1.12Seṭṭhi gahapati rathena paṭipathaṁ āgacchanto taṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavoca—A wealthy merchant coming by carriage in the opposite direction saw her and shouted out,1.13“apehāyye”ti.“Watch out, venerable!”1.14Sā vokkamantī tattheva paripati.As she stepped aside, she collapsed right there.

1.15Seṭṭhi gahapati taṁ bhikkhuniṁ khamāpesi—The merchant asked her for forgiveness:1.16“khamāhāyye, mayāsi pātitā”ti.“Forgive me, venerable, since you fell because of me.”

1.17“Nāhaṁ, gahapati, tayā pātitā.“I didn’t fall because of you,1.18Api ca ahameva dubbalā”ti.but because I’m weak.”

1.19“Kissa pana tvaṁ, ayye, dubbalā”ti?“But why are you so weak?”

1.20Atha kho sā bhikkhunī seṭṭhissa gahapatissa etamatthaṁ ārocesi.The nun told him what had happened.1.21Seṭṭhi gahapati taṁ bhikkhuniṁ gharaṁ netvā bhojetvā ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti—He then brought her to his house and gave her a meal. Afterwards he complained and criticized the monks,1.22“kathañhi nāma bhadantā bhikkhuniyā hatthato āmisaṁ paṭiggahessanti.“How can the venerables receive food directly from a nun?1.23Kicchalābho mātugāmo”ti.It’s difficult for women to get material support.”

1.24Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tassa seṭṭhissa gahapatissa ujjhāyantassa khiyyantassa vipācentassa.The monks heard the complaints of that merchant,1.25Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—and the monks of few desires complained and criticized that monk,1.26“kathañhi nāma bhikkhu bhikkhuniyā hatthato āmisaṁ paṭiggahessatī”ti …pe…“How could a monk receive food directly from a nun?” …1.27“saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhikkhuniyā hatthato āmisaṁ paṭiggahesī”ti?“Is it true, monk, that you did this?”

1.28PTS 4.176“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”

1.29“Ñātikā te, bhikkhu, aññātikā”ti?“Is she a relative of yours?”

1.30“Aññātikā, bhagavā”ti.“No, sir.”

1.31“Aññātako, moghapurisa, aññātikāya na jānāti patirūpaṁ vā appatirūpaṁ vā santaṁ vā asantaṁ vā.“Foolish man, a man and a woman who are unrelated don’t know what’s appropriate and inappropriate, what’s good and bad, in dealing with each other.1.32Kathañhi nāma tvaṁ, moghapurisa, aññātikāya bhikkhuniyā hatthato āmisaṁ paṭiggahessasi.And still you did this.1.33Netaṁ, moghapurisa, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.34evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

1.35.0Final ruling

1.35.1“Yo pana bhikkhu aññātikāya bhikkhuniyā antaragharaṁ paviṭṭhāya hatthato khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā sahatthā paṭiggahetvā khādeyya vā bhuñjeyya vā, paṭidesetabbaṁ tena bhikkhunā—‘If a monk receives fresh or cooked food directly from an unrelated nun who has entered an inhabited area, and then eats it, he must acknowledge it:1.36‘gārayhaṁ, āvuso, dhammaṁ āpajjiṁ asappāyaṁ pāṭidesanīyaṁ, taṁ paṭidesemī’”ti.“I have done a blameworthy and unsuitable thing that is to be acknowledged. I acknowledge it.”’”

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.
2.1.5Aññātikā nāmaUnrelated:: 2.1.6mātito vā pitito vā yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā asambaddhā.anyone who is not a descendant of one’s male ancestors going back eight generations, either on the mother’s side or on the father’s side.¹
2.1.7Bhikkhunī nāmaA nun:: 2.1.8ubhatosaṅghe upasampannā.she has been given the full ordination by both Sanghas.
2.1.9Antaragharaṁ nāmaAn inhabited area:: 2.1.10rathikā byūhaṁ siṅghāṭakaṁ gharaṁ.a street, a cul-de-sac, an intersection, a house.
2.1.11Khādanīyaṁ nāmaFresh food:: 2.1.12pañca bhojanāni yāmakālikaṁ sattāhakālikaṁ yāvajīvikaṁ ṭhapetvā avasesaṁ khādanīyaṁ nāma.apart from the five cooked foods, the post-midday tonics, the seven-day tonics, and the lifetime tonics, the rest is called “fresh food”.
2.1.13Bhojanīyaṁ nāmaCooked food:: 2.1.14pañca bhojanāni—odano, kummāso, sattu, maccho, maṁsaṁ.there are five kinds of cooked food: cooked grain, porridge, flour products, fish, and meat.²

2.1.15“Khādissāmi bhuñjissāmī”ti paṭiggaṇhāti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If he receives the fresh or cooked food with the intention of eating it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.1.16Ajjhohāre ajjhohāre āpatti pāṭidesanīyassa.For every mouthful swallowed, he commits an offense entailing acknowledgment.

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī antaragharaṁ paviṭṭhāya hatthato khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā sahatthā paṭiggahetvā khādati vā bhuñjati vā, āpatti pāṭidesanīyassa.If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he receives fresh or cooked food directly from her when she has entered an inhabited area, and then eats it, he commits an offense entailing acknowledgment.2.2.2Aññātikāya vematiko antaragharaṁ paviṭṭhāya hatthato khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā sahatthā paṭiggahetvā khādati vā bhuñjati vā, āpatti pāṭidesanīyassa.If she is unrelated, but he is unsure of it, and he receives fresh or cooked food directly from her when she has entered an inhabited area, and then eats it, he commits an offense entailing acknowledgment.2.2.3Aññātikāya ñātikasaññī antaragharaṁ paviṭṭhāya hatthato khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā sahatthā paṭiggahetvā khādati vā bhuñjati vā, āpatti pāṭidesanīyassa.If she is unrelated, but he perceives her as related, and he receives fresh or cooked food directly from her when she has entered an inhabited area, and then eats it, he commits an offense entailing acknowledgment.

2.2.4Yāmakālikaṁ sattāhakālikaṁ yāvajīvikaṁ āhāratthāya paṭiggaṇhāti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If he receives post-midday tonics, seven-day tonics, or lifetime tonics for the purpose of food, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.5Ajjhohāre ajjhohāre āpatti dukkaṭassa.For every mouthful swallowed, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.6Ekatoupasampannāya hatthato khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā—If he receives fresh or cooked food, with the intention of eating it, directly from a nun who is fully ordained only on one side,2.2.7“khādissāmi bhuñjissāmī”ti paṭiggaṇhāti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.8Ajjhohāre ajjhohāre āpatti dukkaṭassa.For every mouthful swallowed, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

2.2.9Ñātikāya aññātikasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If she is related, but he perceives her as unrelated, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.10Ñātikāya vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If she is related, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.11Ñātikāya ñātikasaññī, anāpatti.If she is related, and he perceives her as such, there is no offense.

2.3.0Non-offenses

2.3.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.3.2PTS 4.177ñātikāya,if she is related; 2.3.3dāpeti na deti,if she gets someone else to give it and does not give it herself; 2.3.4upanikkhipitvā deti,if she gives by placing it near; 2.3.5antarārāme,if it is inside a monastery; 2.3.6bhikkhunupassaye,if it is at a nunnery; 2.3.7titthiyaseyyāya,if it is at the dwelling place of the monastics of another religion; 2.3.8paṭikkamane,if it is on returning to the monastery; 2.3.9gāmato nīharitvā deti,if she gives after carrying it out of the village; 2.3.10yāmakālikaṁ sattāhakālikaṁ yāvajīvikaṁ “sati paccaye paribhuñjā”ti deti,if she gives post-midday tonics, seven-day tonics, or lifetime tonics, saying, “Use these when there’s a reason;” 2.3.11sikkhamānāya,if it is a trainee nun; 2.3.12sāmaṇeriyā,if it is a novice nun; 2.3.13ummattakassa,if he is insane; 2.3.14ādikammikassāti.if he is the first offender.

2.3.15Paṭhamapāṭidesanīyasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.The first training rule on receiving a nun’s food is finished.

1. The training rule on receiving a nun’s food