-
Theravāda Vinaya
Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law
-
Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
The Nuns’ Analysis
-
Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The chapter on offenses entailing confession
-
Ārāmavagga
The subchapter on monasteries
59. Ovādūpasaṅkamanasikkhāpada
The training rule on going to the instruction
Origin story
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 bhikkhuniyo uposathampi na pucchanti ovādampi na yācanti.
At that time the nuns did not enquire about the observance day nor ask for the instruction.
Bhikkhū ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
The monks complained and criticized them,
“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo uposathampi na pucchissanti ovādampi na yācissantī”ti …pe…
“How can the nuns not enquire about the observance day nor ask for the instruction?” …
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo uposathampi na pucchanti ovādampi na yācantī”ti?
“Is it true, monks, that the nuns don’t do this?”
“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
“It’s true, Sir.”
Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…
The Buddha rebuked them …
kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo uposathampi na pucchissanti ovādampi na yācissanti.
“How can the nuns not do this?
Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…
This will affect people’s confidence …” …
evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
Final ruling
“Anvaddhamāsaṁ bhikkhuniyā bhikkhusaṅghato dve dhammā paccāsīsitabbā—uposathapucchakañca ovādūpasaṅkamanañca. Taṁ atikkāmentiyā pācittiyan”ti.
‘Every half-month a nun should seek two things from the Sangha of monks: asking it about the observance day and going to it for the instruction. If she lets the half-month pass, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”
Definitions
-
Anvaddhamāsanti
Every half-month:
-
anuposathikaṁ.
every observance day.
-
Uposatho nāma
The observance day:
-
dve uposathā— cātuddasiko ca pannarasiko ca.
there are two observance days: the fourteenth and the fifteenth day of the lunar half-month.
-
Ovādo nāma
The instruction:
-
aṭṭha garudhammā.
the eight important principles.
“Uposathampi na pucchissāmi ovādampi na yācissāmī”ti dhuraṁ nikkhittamatte āpatti pācittiyassa. If she thinks, “I won’t enquire about the observance day, nor ask for the instruction,” then by the mere fact of abandoning her duty, she commits an offense entailing confession.
Non-offenses
Anāpatti—
There is no offense:
sati antarāye,
if there is an obstacle;
pariyesitvā dutiyikaṁ bhikkhuniṁ na labhati,
if she searches for a companion nun, but does not find one;
gilānāya,
if she is sick;
āpadāsu,
if there is an emergency;
ummattikāya,
if she is insane;
ādikammikāyāti.
if she is the first offender.
Navamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.
The ninth training rule is finished.
