Lzh Dg Bu Pm Pc 26Sitting in Private

An Explanation of the Rahonisajja Sutta — Sitting in Private

Background

Rahonisajja (from Pāli raho = private, nisajja = sitting) is a rule in the Vinaya Piṭaka, belonging to the Pātimokkha section of the Early Buddhist tradition. This discourse reflects a situation that occurred in the earliest monastic community, while the Buddha was still alive.

According to the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka was compiled to maintain discipline in the Sangha, protect the honor of the monastics, and protect laywomen from procedures that could violate sexual ethics. The rules on sitting in private (nisajja) have particular significance in this context, because they relate to the vow of celibacy (brahmacariya), the foundation of the life of study and practice in the Buddhist tradition.

The arising of this rule usually came from specific incidents in the monastic community, after which the Buddha established principles of conduct to prevent such things in the future.

Main Content

Rahonisajja regulates the situations in which one should not sit privately, or in other words, the cases that constitute a breach of the rule, between a monastic and a woman. This rule is not an absolute prohibition, but a guideline for caution, affirming that sitting privately under certain conditions may cause misunderstanding, damage to reputation, or create the conditions for inappropriate actions.

Specifically, the discourse states that a monastic should not sit privately in concealed, secluded places, or where there is no witness from others. This principle is based on the principle of “light” (āloka), a balance between personal discipline and public transparency.

This rule is not intended to smear or distrust anyone, but is a wise preventive measure. It recognizes that in the human body and mind there are latent forces (taṇhā, craving) that may awaken when suitable conditions appear, even for those with strong willpower.