Lzh Dg Bu Pm 2 Pc 26Sitting in Private

SUTTA ON PRIVATE ENCOUNTER

Rahonisajja in the Section on Bhikkhu Conduct

Context

The Rahonisajja Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the precepts for bhikkhunis. It is part of the Pātimokkha, the list of prohibited actions promulgated by the Buddha to maintain discipline in the Sangha. The sutta “Sitting in Private” (Rahonisajja) reflects the Buddha’s concern for situations that may cause misunderstanding or lead to conduct unsuitable for the life of practice.

According to the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka was formed through concrete situations encountered by the Buddha. Each rule has an origin story (nidāna), showing the reason and circumstance that led to its promulgation. This sutta warns of situations in which privacy may conceal inappropriate actions and therefore must be regulated by principles of practice.

Main Content

Rahonisajja addresses the issue that bhikkhunis should not sit privately (rahonisajja) with a man in secluded places, where unsuitable acts could occur without being discovered. This is not because privacy itself is wrong, but because a hidden context can create opportunities for conduct that violates both the spirit and the form of the vow of celibate conduct (brahmacariya).

This rule arises from a basic principle in the Vinaya: not only avoiding evil actions, but also avoiding the forms or contexts that easily lead to evil. This is a deep understanding of human psychology: lack of oversight may weaken one’s resolve in practice. The rule does not prohibit meeting or conversing with men, but requires care, the presence of witnesses, and a public setting to protect both the bhikkhunī and the honor of the Sangha.

Practical Meaning

In the modern context of practice, Rahonisajja teaches us that true ethics lies not only in action, but in how we create conditions for ourselves to live wholesomely.