Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 161Visiting Families Towards Sunset

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 161

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā, when it was already dusk, still went to a householder's home, found a seat and sat down. After sitting for a short while, without speaking to the host, she opened the door and departed. Prior to this, a band of thieves had set their minds on stealing the property of this householder's household; finding the door open and no one there, they entered and made off with the valuables.

At that time, the householder inquired:

"At dusk, who opened the door and left?"

The answer came:

"The bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā."

The householder then reproached her, saying: "This bhikkhunī has no sense of shame or remorse, and has engaged in impure conduct. Outwardly she claims to know the true Dharma. Yet what Dharma is there in such behavior? She conspired with thieves to steal my property—she is no different from a thieving woman, a licentious woman!"

The bhikkhunīs heard of this, and among them those who were of few desires, who were content, who practiced the dhūta virtues, who delighted in training in the precepts, who had a sense of shame and remorse, reproved Sthūlanandā: "Why did you go to a householder's home at dusk?"

The bhikkhunīs then reported the matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus went and reported it to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this cause and condition, assembled the Saṃgha of bhikkhus and reproved Sthūlanandā:

"What you have done is wrong—it is not proper conduct, not the practice of a śramaṇa, not pure conduct, not befitting behavior; it is something that should not be done. Why did you go to a householder's home at dusk?"

Having reproved her with countless expedient means, the Buddha said to the bhikkhus:

"This bhikkhunī is a ground in which many seeds of the āsravas are planted, and she is the first to transgress this precept. From now on, I shall establish a precept for the bhikkhunīs, comprising ten clauses in meaning, up to the clause that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī, at dusk, goes to a householder's home — pācittiya.

The Blessed One thus established the precept for the bhikkhunīs. At that time, there were bhikkhunīs who wished to attend to matters of the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṃgha; or there were those who needed to care for the sick; or those who had been invited by lay supporters — uncertain, they did not dare to go. The Buddha taught:

"From now on, if one has been invited, she is permitted to go."

From now on, the precept should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī, at dusk, goes to the home of a lay person without having been summoned beforehand — pācittiya.

B. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRECEPT

Bhikkhunī: the meaning is as above.

Whatever bhikkhunī, at dusk, goes to the home of a lay person without having been summoned beforehand and steps through the doorway — pācittiya. If one foot is outside the door and one foot is inside the door, if one intends to go but does not go, or makes an appointment to go but does not go — in all such cases it is a duṣkṛta. If a bhikkhunī goes to a lay person's home, stays for a short time, and without speaking to the host departs through the door — pācittiya.

If one intends to go but does not go, or makes an appointment but does not go — in all such cases it is a duṣkṛta.

For a bhikkhu, it is a duṣkṛta. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, or a śrāmaṇerī, it is a duṣkṛta. These are called transgressions.

Non-transgression: if it is for the sake of matters concerning the Buddha, Dharma, or Saṃgha; or for the care of the sick; or if one has been invited; or if one is taken by force; or if one is bound and led away; or if there is danger to life or danger to the holy life — going without having been summoned beforehand; if upon arriving at that home, after a short while, one speaks to the host before departing; or if that home collapses due to fire; or if there are poisonous snakes, bandits, fierce animals, or one is taken by force; or if one is bound and led out; or if there is danger to life or danger to the holy life, and one departs without speaking to the host — in all such cases there is no transgression.

Those who do not transgress: the first offender before the precept was established; one who is insane, of deranged mind, or who is afflicted and overwhelmed by suffering.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART VINAYA, PART ONE

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

(Chinese translation, fascicles 1–21; Vietnamese translation, fascicles 1–2)

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002