- Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
- BhikkhunivibhaṅgaThe Nuns’ Analysis
- SaṅghādisesakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing suspension
1. UssayavādikāsikkhāpadaThe training rule on taking legal action
Ime kho panāyyāyo sattarasa saṅghādisesā dhammā uddesaṁ āgacchanti.Venerables, these seventeen rules on suspension come up for recitation.
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.
Tena kho pana samayena aññataro upāsako bhikkhunisaṅghassa udositaṁ datvā kālaṅkato hoti.
udositaṁ → uddositaṁ (bj, sya-all, pts1ed) | bhikkhunisaṅghassa udositaṁ → bhikkhunīsaṅghassa uddositaṁ (bj, sya-all, pts) | kālaṅkato → kālakato (bj, sya-all) | uddositaṁ → udositaṁ (bj: machasaṁ) | udositaṁ → uddositaṁ (cck: sī. syā.)At that time a lay follower who had given a storehouse to the Sangha of nuns had died.
Tassa dve puttā honti—He had two sons,
eko assaddho appasanno, eko saddho pasanno.one with and one without faith and confidence,
Te pettikaṁ sāpateyyaṁ vibhajiṁsu.and they divided their father’s property between them.
Atha kho so assaddho appasanno taṁ saddhaṁ pasannaṁ etadavoca—
taṁ → (bj)Then the one without faith said to the other,
“amhākaṁ udosito, taṁ bhājemā”ti.
bhājemāti → bhājāmā ti (pts) | bhājemāti → bhājāmāti (sya-all: yu. ma.) | bhājāmā → bhājāma A constantly, bhajāma and bhājāma B. (pts note)“The storehouse is ours; let’s allocate it to one of us.”
Evaṁ vutte, so saddho pasanno taṁ assaddhaṁ appasannaṁ etadavoca—But the one with faith responded,
“māyyo, evaṁ avaca.“No,
Amhākaṁ pitunā bhikkhunisaṅghassa dinno”ti.
bhikkhunisaṅghassa → bhikkhunīsaṅghassa (sya-all) | ti → dinno (before na dinno ti) deest in AB. Comp. Cullav.VI.4.9: gahito na gahito 'ti vohārike mahāmatte pucchiṁsu. Bhikkhuvibh. Pāc. XLI.1.1: jāro na jāro 'ti bhaṇḍiṁsu. (pts note)our father gave it to the Sangha of nuns.”
Dutiyampi kho so assaddho appasanno taṁ saddhaṁ pasannaṁ etadavoca—
so → (sya-all)A second time they both said the same thing,
“amhākaṁ udosito, taṁ bhājemā”ti.
bhājemāti → bhājāmā ti (pts)
Atha kho so saddho pasanno taṁ assaddhaṁ appasannaṁ etadavoca—
atha kho → dutiyampi (bj)
“māyyo, evaṁ avaca.
Amhākaṁ pitunā bhikkhunisaṅghassa dinno”ti.
bhikkhunisaṅghassa → bhikkhunīsaṅghassa (sya-all)
Tatiyampi kho so assaddho appasanno taṁ saddhaṁ pasannaṁ etadavoca—
appasanno → (pts)and a third time the one without faith repeated his proposal.
“amhākaṁ udosito, taṁ bhājemā”ti.
Atha kho so saddho pasanno—The one with faith then thought,
“sace mayhaṁ bhavissati, ahampi bhikkhunisaṅghassa dassāmī”ti—
ahampi bhikkhunisaṅghassa → ahaṁpi bhikkhunīsaṅghassa (sya-all, pts)“If I get it, I too would give it to the Sangha of nuns,”
taṁ assaddhaṁ appasannaṁ etadavoca—
etadavoca bhājemāti → etad avoca bhājāmā ti (pts)and he said,
“bhājemā”ti.“Alright, let’s allocate it.”
Atha kho so udosito tehi bhājīyamāno tassa assaddhassa appasannassa pāpuṇāti.
pāpuṇāti → pāpuṇi (bj, sya-all) | bhājīyamāno → bhājiyamāno (sya-all, pts) | pāpuṇāti atha kho → pāpuṇi athakho (sya-all) | pāpuṇi → pāpuṇāti (bj: sīmu, machasaṁ) | pāpuṇāti → pāpuṇi (cck: syā.) | pāpuṇi → pāpuṇāti (sya-all: yu. ma.)But when they allocated it, it fell to the one without faith.
Atha kho so assaddho appasanno bhikkhuniyo upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca—
etadavoca nikkhamathāyye → etad avoca nikkhamath ayye (pts)He then went to the nuns and said,
“nikkhamathāyye, amhākaṁ udosito”ti.
nikkhamathāyye → nikkhamathayye (bj, sya-all)“Please leave, venerables, this storehouse is mine.”
Evaṁ vutte thullanandā bhikkhunī taṁ purisaṁ etadavoca—The nun Thullanandā said to him,
“māyyo, evaṁ avaca, tumhākaṁ pitunā bhikkhunisaṅghassa dinno”ti.
bhikkhunisaṅghassa → bhikkhunīsaṅghassa (sya-all) | bhikkhunisaṅghassa dinnoti → bhikkhunīsaṁghassa dinno ti (pts)“No, your father gave it to the Sangha of nuns.”
“Dinno na dinno”ti vohārike mahāmatte pucchiṁsu.Because they were unable to agree, they asked judges to decide on the matter.
Mahāmattā evamāhaṁsu—They said,
“ko, ayye, jānāti bhikkhunisaṅghassa dinno”ti?
bhikkhunisaṅghassa → bhikkhunīsaṅghassa (sya-all) | bhikkhunisaṅghassa dinnoti → bhikkhunīsaṁghassa dinno ti (pts)“Venerable, who knows that it was given to the Sangha of nuns?”
Evaṁ vutte, thullanandā bhikkhunī te mahāmatte etadavoca—Thullanandā replied,
“api nāyyā tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā sakkhiṁ ṭhapayitvā dānaṁ diyyamānan”ti?
api nāyyā → api nāyyo (si, mr); apinvayyā (sya-all); api nayyo (pts1ed) | diyyamānanti → dīyamānanti (bj) | nāyyā → nāyyo (cck) | diyyamānanti atha kho → dīyamānanti athakho (sya-all) | apināyyā → apināyyo (bj: machasaṁ); apināyyo (bj: sīmu1); apinaviyyā (bj: syā) | nāyyo → api nvayyā (cck: syā.); api nāyyo (cck: ka.) | apinvayyā → apinayyo (sya-all: yu. ma.)“But sirs, didn’t you appoint a witness who saw or heard the giving of the gift?”
Atha kho te mahāmattā—Saying,
“saccaṁ kho ayyā āhā”ti taṁ udositaṁ bhikkhunisaṅghassa akaṁsu.
udositaṁ bhikkhunisaṅghassa → uddositaṁ bhikkhunīsaṅghassa (sya-all, pts)“It’s true what the venerable says,” the judges made the storehouse the property of the Sangha of nuns.
Atha kho so puriso parājito ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti—
khiyyati → khīyati (bj, sya-all, pts)The defeated man complained and criticized the nuns,
“assamaṇiyo imā muṇḍā bandhakiniyo.
bandhakiniyo kathañhi → vandhakiniyo kathaṁ hi (bj)“They’re not monastics, these shaven-headed sluts.
Kathañhi nāma amhākaṁ udositaṁ acchindāpessantī”ti.
udositaṁ acchindāpessantīti → uddositaṁ acchindāpentīti (bj); uddositaṁ acchinnāpessantīti (sya-all)How could they take my storehouse?”
Thullanandā bhikkhunī mahāmattānaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi.Thullanandā told the judges of this
Mahāmattā taṁ purisaṁ daṇḍāpesuṁ.and they punished him.
Atha kho so puriso daṇḍito bhikkhunupassayassa avidūre ājīvakaseyyaṁ kārāpetvā ājīvake uyyojesi—
bhikkhunupassayassa → bhikkhunūpassayassa (bj, cck, sya-all) | daṇḍito bhikkhunupassayassa → daṇḍiko bhikkhunūpassayassa (pts) | ājīvakaseyyaṁ → ājīvikaseyyaṁ (pts) | ājīvake → ājīvike (pts) | daṇḍito → daṇḍiko (sya-all: yu. ma.)That man then made a dwelling place for Ājīvaka ascetics near the nunnery,
“etā bhikkhuniyo accāvadathā”ti.
etā → etha (bj: sīmu2)inciting them to drown out the nuns.
Thullanandā bhikkhunī mahāmattānaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi.Once again Thullanandā told the judges
Mahāmattā taṁ purisaṁ bandhāpesuṁ.and the judges jailed him.
Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
khiyyanti → khīyanti (bj, sya-all, pts)People then complained and criticized those nuns,
“paṭhamaṁ bhikkhuniyo udositaṁ acchindāpesuṁ, dutiyaṁ daṇḍāpesuṁ, tatiyaṁ bandhāpesuṁ.
paṭhamaṁ → paṭhamaṁ hi nāma (sya-all); kathaṁ hi nāma (pts) | dutiyaṁ → dutiyampi (sya-all, pts) | tatiyaṁ → tatiyampi (sya-all, pts) | dutiyaṁ → dutiyampi (bj: __sī1__, sīmu1) | tatiyaṁ → tatiyampi (bj: __sī1__, sīmu1) | paṭhamaṁ → kathaṁ (sya-all: yu. ma.)“First the nuns take his storehouse, then they have him punished, and then they have him jailed.
Idāni ghātāpessantī”ti.Next they’ll have him executed!”
Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.
khiyyantānaṁ → khīyantānaṁ (bj, sya-all) | ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ → (pts)Nuns heard the complaints of those people,
Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
khiyyanti → khīyanti (bj, sya-all)and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,
“kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā ussayavādikā viharissatī”ti.
ussayavādikā → usuyyavādikā (sya-all)“How could Venerable Thullanandā take legal action?”
Atha kho tā bhikkhuniyo bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe…Then those nuns told the monks …
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī ussayavādikā viharatī”ti.
ussayavādikā → usuyyavādikā (sya-all)“Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā is taking legal action?”
“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”
Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked her …
kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī ussayavādikā viharissati.
ussayavādikā → usuyyavādikā (sya-all)“How could the nun Thullanandā take legal action?
Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…
vā → (bj)This will affect people’s confidence …” …
evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
“Yā pana bhikkhunī ussayavādikā vihareyya gahapatinā vā gahapatiputtena vā dāsena vā kammakārena vā antamaso samaṇaparibbājakenāpi, ayaṁ bhikkhunī paṭhamāpattikaṁ dhammaṁ āpannā nissāraṇīyaṁ saṅghādisesan”ti.
kammakārena → kammakarena (bj, sya-all); ussayavādikā → usuyyavādikā (sya-all) | kammakarena → kammakārena (bj: machasaṁ) | kammakārena → kammakarena (cck: sī. syā.) | kammakarena → kammakārena (sya-all: yu. ma.)‘If a nun takes legal action against a householder or a householder’s offspring or a slave or a worker or even toward a monastic or a wanderer, then that nun has committed an immediate offense entailing sending away and suspension.’”
- Yā panātiA:
- yā yādisā …pe…whoever …
- bhikkhunītiNun:
- …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.
- Ussayavādikā nāma
ussayavādikā → usuyyavādikā (sya-all)Takes legal action: - aḍḍakārikā vuccati.
aḍḍakārikā → aṭṭakārikā (bj, sya-all, pts)what is meant is that she is the initiator of a lawsuit. - Gahapati nāmaA householder:
- yo koci agāraṁ ajjhāvasati.anyone who lives at home.
- Gahapatiputto nāmaA householder’s offspring:
- ye keci puttabhātaro.
keci → koci (bj) | ye keci → yo koci (pts) | koci → ye keci (bj: machasaṁ) | keci → yo koci (sya-all: yu. ma.)whoever is an offspring or a sibling. - Dāso nāmaA slave:
- antojāto dhanakkīto karamarānīto.
antojāto dhanakkīto → anto jāto dhanakkito (bj)one born in the household, one who has been bought, one who has been brought back as a captive. - Kammakāro nāma
kammakāro → kammakaro (bj, sya-all) | kammakaro → kammakāro (sya-all: yu. ma.)A worker: - bhaṭako āhatako.
bhaṭako āhatako → bhatako ābhatako (bj) | āhatako → āhaṭako (sya-all)a paid worker, a servant. - Samaṇaparibbājako nāmaA monastic or a wanderer:
- bhikkhuñca bhikkhuniñca sikkhamānañca sāmaṇerañca sāmaṇeriñca ṭhapetvā yo koci paribbājakasamāpanno.anyone who is a wanderer apart from Buddhist monks, nuns, trainee nuns, novice monks, and novice nuns.
Aḍḍaṁ karissāmīti dutiyaṁ vā pariyesati gacchati vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
aḍḍaṁ → aṭṭaṁ (bj, sya-all, pts)If, thinking, “I’ll initiate a lawsuit,” she looks for a companion or just goes there herself, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ekassa āroceti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If she tells one other person, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Dutiyassa āroceti, āpatti thullaccayassa.If she tells a second person, she commits a serious offense. Aḍḍapariyosāne āpatti saṅghādisesassa.
aḍḍapariyosāne → aṭṭapariyosāne (bj, sya-all, pts)At the end of the lawsuit, she commits an offense entailing suspension. - PaṭhamāpattikantiAn immediate offense:
- saha vatthujjhācārā āpajjati asamanubhāsanāya.
saha vatthujjhācārā → sahavatthajjhācārā (bj) | sahavatthajjhācārā → sahavathujkaḍācārā (bj: machasaṁ)there is an offense as soon as the misconduct is committed, and no pressing is required. - NissāraṇīyantiEntailing sending away:
- saṅghamhā nissārīyati.
nissārīyati saṅghādisesanti saṅghova → nissāriyati saṅghādisesoti saṅgho va (sya-all)she is sent away from the Sangha. - SaṅghādisesantiSuspension:
- saṅghova tassā āpattiyā mānattaṁ deti mūlāya paṭikassati abbheti, na sambahulā na ekā bhikkhunī. Tena vuccati “saṅghādiseso”ti.
sambahulā → sambahulā bhikkhuniyo (sya-all) | saṅghādisesoti → saṅghādisesanti (bj: machasaṁ) | va → saṁghādisesan ti saṁgho va etc. AB correctly. In the following chapters the MSS. read constantly saṁghādiseso ti, etc., which is a mistake caused by the corresponding passage of the Bhikkhuvibhaṅga. (pts note)only the Sangha gives the trial period for that offense, sends back to the beginning, and rehabilitates—not several nuns, not an individual nun. Therefore it is called an offense entailing suspension. Tasseva āpattinikāyassa nāmakammaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Tenapi vuccati “saṅghādiseso”ti.
tasseva → tassa ceva (bj)This is the name and designation of this class of offense. Therefore, too, it is called an offense entailing suspension.
Anāpatti—There is no offense:
manussehi ākaḍḍhīyamānā gacchati,
ākaḍḍhīyamānā → ākaḍḍhiyamānā (sya-all, pts)if she goes there because people pull her;
ārakkhaṁ yācati,
ārakkhaṁ → rakkhaṁ (bj) | rakkhaṁ → ārakkhaṁ (bj: machasaṁ, syā)if she is asking for protection;
anodissa ācikkhati,if she tells without specifying a person;
ummattikāya …pe…if she is insane;
ādikammikāyāti.if she is the first offender.
Paṭhamasaṅghādisesasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.
paṭhamasaṅghādiseso → saṅghādisesaṁ (bj: potthakesu.) | paṭhamasaṅghādiseso → paṭhamasaṅghādisesa sikkhāpadaṁ (bj: machasaṁ)The first offense entailing suspension is finished.