Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 9Teaching Someone of the Opposite Gender Alone
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dhammadesanā
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Explanation of the Sutta: Teaching Someone of the Opposite Gender Alone
Background
In the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, this sutta records an important disciplinary rule concerning the conduct of bhikkhus, male renunciants. This is not a sūtra teaching profound doctrine, but a rule (pātimokkha) intended to protect the ethics of the Sangha community and maintain the trust of the world.
The background arose from practical situations in monastic life. When bhikkhus came into contact with women and needed to transmit the Dharma, an ethical question arose: how could they maintain purity (brahmacariya) while carrying out the responsibility of teaching? This sutta reflects the wise consideration of the Buddha and the elder monks in establishing suitable rules.
Main Content
The basic rule recorded in the sutta is: a bhikkhu should not teach the Dharma (dhammadesanā) to a woman alone, in a secluded place, without a witness or without special permission. This rule is intended to protect both sides, helping the bhikkhu avoid suspicion and protecting women from unnecessary misunderstanding.
The Vinaya Piṭaka details exceptions: if there is a third person present, or in specific circumstances, such as with one’s mother, sisters, or blood relatives, or when a woman longs to learn the Dharma but lacks the strength to travel far, then teaching may be given. However, even in these cases, the bhikkhu should preserve care, courtesy, and dignity in the manner of teaching.
This differs from stricter rules for bhikkhunīs, reflecting the Buddha’s sensitivity to the social context of that time. The sutta teaches that carefulness is not fear, but an expression of wisdom, respect, and responsibility.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.