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Note:Translations, dictionaries and commentaries were not made by the Blessed One.Cross-check with Pali in 4 main nikayas.

  • Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
  • MahāvibhaṅgaThe Great Analysis
  • PācittiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing confession
  • MusāvādavaggaThe subchapter on lying

7. DhammadesanāsikkhāpadaTeaching a woman alone

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 āyasmā udāyī sāvatthiyaṁ kulūpako hoti, bahukāni kulāni upasaṅkamati.
kulūpako → kulūpago (bj) | udāyī → udāyi (sya-all, pts)
At that time Venerable Udāyī was associating with and visiting a number of families in Sāvatthī.
Atha kho āyasmā udāyī pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena aññataraṁ kulaṁ tenupasaṅkami.
pubbaṇhasamayaṁ → pubbanhasamayaṁ (bj) | yena aññataraṁ → yenaññataraṁ (bj) | udāyī → udāyi (sya-all, pts)
After robing up one morning, he took his bowl and robe and went to a certain family.
Tena kho pana samayena gharaṇī nivesanadvāre nisinnā hoti, gharasuṇhā āvasathadvāre nisinnā hoti.Just then the housewife was sitting at the door to the house, while the daughter-in-law was sitting at the door to the guesthouse. Atha kho āyasmā udāyī yena gharaṇī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā gharaṇiyā upakaṇṇake dhammaṁ desesi.
desesi → deseti (bj) | udāyī → udāyi (sya-all, pts) | gharaṇiyā → gharaniyā (pts) | deseti → desesi (bj: machasaṁ)
Udāyī went up to the housewife and gave her a teaching, whispering in her ear.
Atha kho gharasuṇhāya etadahosi—And the daughter-in-law thought, “kiṁ nu kho so samaṇo sassuyā jāro udāhu obhāsatī”ti?“Is this monastic my mother-in-law’s lover, or is he speaking indecently?”

Atha kho āyasmā udāyī gharaṇiyā upakaṇṇake dhammaṁ desetvā yena gharasuṇhā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā gharasuṇhāya upakaṇṇake dhammaṁ desesi.
desesi → deseti (bj) | udāyī → udāyi (sya-all, pts)
After teaching the housewife in this way, Udāyī went up to the daughter-in-law and gave her a teaching in the same way.
Atha kho gharaṇiyā etadahosi—Then the housewife thought, “kiṁ nu kho so samaṇo gharasuṇhāya jāro udāhu obhāsatī”ti?“Is this monastic my daughter-in-law’s lover, or is he speaking indecently?”

Atha kho āyasmā udāyī gharasuṇhāya upakaṇṇake dhammaṁ desetvā pakkāmi.
udāyī → udāyi (sya-all, pts)
When Udāyī had left,
Atha kho gharaṇī gharasuṇhaṁ etadavoca—the housewife said to her daughter-in-law, “he je, kiṁ te eso samaṇo avocā”ti?
eso → so (bj, sya-all) | so → eso (bj: machasaṁ) | so → eso (sya-all: yu.)
“Hey, what did that monastic say to you?”

“Dhammaṁ me, ayye, desesi”.
ayye → ayyo (bj)
“He gave me a teaching, ma’am.
“Ayyāya pana kiṁ avocā”ti?But what did he say to you?”

“Mayhampi dhammaṁ desesī”ti.“He gave me a teaching, too.”

Tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
khiyyanti → khīyanti (bj, sya-all, pts)
And they complained and criticized him,
“kathañhi nāma ayyo udāyī upakaṇṇake dhammaṁ desessati.
udāyī → udāyī mātugāmassa (bj, cck); udāyi mātugāmassa (sya-all); udāyi (pts)
“How can Venerable Udāyī give teachings by whispering in the ear?
Nanu nāma vissaṭṭhena vivaṭena dhammo desetabbo”ti?
vissaṭṭhena → vissatthena (pts) | vivaṭena → vivaṭena asaṁvutena (bj: sīmu)
Should not teachings be given audibly and openly?”

Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tāsaṁ itthīnaṁ ujjhāyantīnaṁ khiyyantīnaṁ vipācentīnaṁ.
khiyyantīnaṁ → khīyantīnaṁ (bj, sya-all, pts)
The monks heard the complaints of those women,
Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
khiyyanti → khīyanti (bj, sya-all, pts)
and the monks of few desires complained and criticized Udāyī,
“kathañhi nāma āyasmā udāyī mātugāmassa dhammaṁ desessatī”ti.
udāyī → udāyi (sya-all, pts)
“How can Venerable Udāyī give teachings to women?”

Atha kho te bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe…
āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā → (bj, sya-all, pts)
After rebuking him in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned Udāyī:
“saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, udāyi, mātugāmassa dhammaṁ desesī”ti?“Is it true, Udāyī, that you did this?”

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked him … kathañhi nāma tvaṁ, moghapurisa, mātugāmassa dhammaṁ desessasi.“Foolish man, how can you do this? Netaṁ moghapurisa, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” … evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

“Yo pana bhikkhu mātugāmassa dhammaṁ deseyya pācittiyan”ti.‘If a monk gives a teaching to a woman, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Tena kho pana samayena upāsikā bhikkhū passitvā etadavocuṁ—
etadavocuṁ iṅghāyyā → etad avocuṁ iṅgh ayyā (pts)
Soon afterwards some female lay followers saw some monks and said to them,
“iṅghāyyā, dhammaṁ desethā”ti.
iṅghāyyā → iṅghayyā (bj); iṅgha ayyā (sya-all) | iṅghayyā → iṅghāyyā (bj: machasaṁ)
“Venerables, please give a teaching.”

“Na, bhaginī, kappati mātugāmassa dhammaṁ desetun”ti.
bhaginī → bhagini (sya-all, pts) | desetunti iṅghāyyā → desetun ti iṅgh ayyā (pts)
“It’s not allowable for us to teach women.”

“Iṅghāyyā, chappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ desetha, sakkā ettakenapi dhammo aññātun”ti.
iṅghāyyā → iṅghayyā (bj); iṅgha ayyā (sya-all) | dhammo → (bj) | aññātunti → sakkā ettakenapi dhammo aññātunti (bj: machasaṁ)
“Just teach five or six sentences. That might be enough for us to understand.”

“Na, bhaginī, kappati mātugāmassa dhammaṁ desetun”ti.
bhaginī → bhagini (sya-all, pts)
“It’s not allowable for us to teach women.”
Kukkuccāyantā na desesuṁ.And being afraid of wrongdoing, they did not teach them.

Upāsikā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
upāsikā → upāsikāyo (bj) | khiyyanti → khīyanti (bj, sya-all, pts) | upāsikāyo → upāsikā (bj: machasaṁ)
Those female lay followers complained and criticized them,
“kathañhi nāma, ayyā, amhehi yācīyamānā dhammaṁ na desessantī”ti.
yācīyamānā → yāciyamānā (bj, cck, sya-all, pts)
“How can they not teach us when asked?”

Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tāsaṁ upāsikānaṁ ujjhāyantīnaṁ khiyyantīnaṁ vipācentīnaṁ.
khiyyantīnaṁ → khīyantīnaṁ (bj, sya-all, pts)
The monks heard the complaints of those female lay followers,
Atha kho te bhikkhū bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.and they told the Buddha. Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

“anujānāmi, bhikkhave, mātugāmassa chappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ desetuṁ.“Monks, I allow you to teach five or six sentences to a woman.

Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

“Yo pana bhikkhū mātugāmassa uttarichappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ deseyya, pācittiyan”ti.
uttarichappañcavācāhi → uttariṁ chappañcavācāhi (bj) | bhikkhū → bhikkhu (sya-all, pts)
‘If a monk gives a teaching of more than five or six sentences to a woman, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū—“bhagavatā anuññātaṁ mātugāmassa chappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ desetun”ti te aviññuṁ purisaviggahaṁ upanisīdāpetvā mātugāmassa uttarichappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ desenti.
uttarichappañcavācāhi → uttariṁ chappañcavācāhi (bj) | chappañcavācāhi → mātugāmassa uttariṁ chappañcavācāhi (bj: sīmu1, sīmu2)
When the monks from the group of six heard that the Buddha had made this allowance, they taught women more than five or six sentences with a man who did not understand sitting nearby.
Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
khiyyanti → khīyanti (bj, sya-all, pts)
The monks of few desires complained and criticized them,
“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū aviññuṁ purisaviggahaṁ upanisīdāpetvā mātugāmassa uttarichappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ desessantī”ti.
uttarichappañcavācāhi → uttariṁ chappañcavācāhi (bj)
“How can the monks from the group of six teach women more than five or six sentences with a man who doesn’t understand sitting nearby?”

Atha kho te bhikkhū chabbaggiye bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe…
chabbaggiye bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā → (bj, sya-all, pts)
After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks:
“saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, aviññuṁ purisaviggahaṁ upanisīdāpetvā mātugāmassa uttarichappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ desethā”ti?
uttarichappañcavācāhi → uttariṁ chappañcavācāhi (bj)
“Is it true, monks, that you do this?”

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them … kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, aviññuṁ purisaviggahaṁ upanisīdāpetvā mātugāmassa uttarichappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ desessatha.
uttarichappañcavācāhi → uttariṁ chappañcavācāhi (bj)
“Foolish men, how can you do this?
Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” … evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

“Yo pana bhikkhu mātugāmassa uttarichappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ deseyya, aññatra viññunā purisaviggahena, pācittiyan”ti.
uttarichappañcavācāhi → uttariṁ chappañcavācāhi (sya-all) | uttarichappañcavācāhi → uttariṁ chappañcavācāhi (bj)
‘If a monk gives a teaching of more than five or six sentences to a woman, except in the presence of a man who understands, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Yo panātiA:
yo yādiso …pe…whoever …
bhikkhūtiMonk:
…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.
Mātugāmo nāmaA woman:
manussitthī; na yakkhī na petī na tiracchānagatā; viññū, paṭibalā subhāsitadubbhāsitaṁ duṭṭhullāduṭṭhullaṁ ājānituṁ.
manussitthī → manussitthi (bj, pts) | paṭibalā → paṭibalā hoti (bj)
a human female, not a female spirit, not a female ghost, not a female animal. She understands and is capable of discerning good and bad speech, what is decent and what is indecent.
Uttarichappañcavācāhīti
uttarichappañcavācāhīti → uttariṁ chappañcavācāhīti (bj)
More than five or six sentences:
atirekachappañcavācāhi.in excess of five or six sentences.
Dhammo nāmaA teaching:
buddhabhāsito, sāvakabhāsito, isibhāsito, devatābhāsito, atthūpasañhito, dhammūpasañhito.
atthūpasañhito dhammūpasañhito → atthupasañhito dhammupasañhito (sya-all) | atthūpasañhito dhammūpasañhito deseyyāti → atthupasaṁhito dhammupasaṁhito deseyyā ti (pts)
what has been spoken by the Buddha, what has been spoken by disciples, what has been spoken by sages, what has been spoken by gods, what is connected with what is beneficial, what is connected with the Teaching.
DeseyyātiGives:
padena deseti, pade pade āpatti pācittiyassa.if he teaches by the line, then for every line he commits an offense entailing confession. Akkharāya deseti, akkharakkharāya āpatti pācittiyassa.
akkharakkharāya → akkharākkharāya (pts) | akkharākkharāya → akkharākkharāya AB, akkharāya akkharāya C. (pts note)
If he teaches by the syllable, then for every syllable he commits an offense entailing confession.
Aññatra viññunā purisaviggahenātiExcept in the presence of a man who understands:
ṭhapetvā viññuṁ purisaviggahaṁ.unless a man who understands is present.
Viññū nāma purisaviggaho,A man who understands:
paṭibalo hoti subhāsitadubbhāsitaṁ duṭṭhullāduṭṭhullaṁ ājānituṁ.one who is capable of discerning good and bad speech, what is decent and what is indecent.

Mātugāme mātugāmasaññī uttarichappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ deseti, aññatra viññunā purisaviggahena, āpatti pācittiyassa.
uttarichappañcavācāhi → uttariṁ chappañcavācāhi (bj)
If it is a woman, and he perceives her as such, and he teaches her more than five or six sentences, except in the presence of a man who understands, he commits an offense entailing confession.
Mātugāme vematiko uttarichappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ deseti, aññatra viññunā purisaviggahena, āpatti pācittiyassa.
uttarichappañcavācāhi → uttariṁ chappañcavācāhi (bj)
If it is a woman, but he is unsure of it, and he teaches her more than five or six sentences, except in the presence of a man who understands, he commits an offense entailing confession.
Mātugāme amātugāmasaññī uttarichappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ deseti, aññatra viññunā purisaviggahena, āpatti pācittiyassa.
uttarichappañcavācāhi → uttariṁ chappañcavācāhi (bj)
If it is a woman, but he does not perceive her as such, and he teaches her more than five or six sentences, except in the presence of a man who understands, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Yakkhiyā vā petiyā vā paṇḍakassa vā tiracchānagatamanussaviggahitthiyā vā uttarichappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ deseti, aññatra viññunā purisaviggahena, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
uttarichappañcavācāhi → uttariṁ chappañcavācāhi (bj)
If he teaches more than five or six sentences to a female spirit, a female ghost, a paṇḍaka, or a female animal in the form of a woman, except in the presence of a man who understands, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Amātugāme mātugāmasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is not a woman, but he perceives them as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Amātugāme vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is not a woman, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Amātugāme amātugāmasaññī, anāpatti.If it is not a woman, and he does not perceive them as such, there is no offense.

Anāpatti—There is no offense: viññunā purisaviggahena,if a man who understands is present; chappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ deseti,if he teaches five or six sentences; ūnakachappañcavācāhi dhammaṁ deseti,if he teaches fewer than five or six sentences; uṭṭhahitvā puna nisīditvā deseti,
nisīditvā → nisīditvā dhammaṁ (sya-all) | deseti → Buddh.: tasmiṁ desetīti tasmiṁ khaṇe deseti. sāmiatthe vā etaṁ bhummavacanaṁ, tassā desetīti attho. (pts note)
if he gets up, sits down again, and then teaches;
mātugāmo uṭṭhahitvā puna nisīdati tasmiṁ deseti,if the woman gets up and sits down again, and he then teaches her; aññassa mātugāmassa deseti,if he teaches another woman; pañhaṁ pucchati,if he asks a question; pañhaṁ puṭṭho katheti,if he is asked a question and then speaks; aññassatthāya bhaṇantaṁ mātugāmo suṇāti,if he is speaking for the benefit of someone else and a woman listens in; ummattakassa,if he is insane; ādikammikassāti.if he is the first offender.

Dhammadesanāsikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ sattamaṁ.
sattamaṁ → (sya-all)
The training rule on teaching a woman alone, the seventh, is finished.

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