Lzh Dg Bu Pm Pc 44Sitting in a Concealed Place

THE RAHOPAṬICCHANNA SUTTA (THE BHIKKHUNĪ PĀTIMOKKHA RULE)

Background

Rahopaṭicchanna, provisionally translated as “sitting in a concealed place,” is a prohibition in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the ethical code for bhikkhunīs in the Theravāda tradition. This discourse is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, the legal foundation of the Early Buddhist order.

During the Buddha’s lifetime, when the community of bhikkhunīs was established, a relatively late stage in the development of the Sangha, the Buddha established rules to protect the honor of female monastics and maintain reverence for the Dharma. This prohibition arose from incidents related to the reputation of bhikkhunīs when they sat privately and secretly with men, creating suspicion and ridicule from the community.

Main Content

The Rahopaṭicchanna rule prohibits bhikkhunīs from sitting in concealed places, shielded from the sight of others, together with a man or men in situations that could cause misunderstanding about provocative or impure conduct.

“Concealed” (rahopaṭicchanna) here does not refer only to physical space, but also to situations in which witnessing is prevented, such as sitting in a closed house or in deserted corners where others cannot see. The essence of the prohibition is not contact with men as such, but concealing that action, something that in a community of practice must be entirely transparent.

This Vinaya discourse emphasizes that purity is not only in the mind, but must also be clearly expressed in public action. Any bhikkhunī who violates this will be subject to corresponding discipline, from mild admonition to heavier penalties depending on the nature and degree of the violation.

Practical Meaning

This rule reflects a profound principle: practicing the Buddhadharma is a public and transparent way of life, unafraid of examination.