Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pc 122Dismissing a Companion

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS OF THE BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPLANATION OF THE FIRST SECTION OF THE 141 PĀCITTIYAS

122. PRECEPT: DRAWING A MAN CLOSE AND WHISPERING IN HIS EAR.

When the Buddha was residing at Vesālī, the bhikkhunī Bhaddrā went to the home of her relatives, stretched out her hand to draw her brothers, sisters, and children close beside her, and then whispered in their ears. A servant who saw this became suspicious and said: "This renunciant is whispering — surely she must be speaking about our faults."

The bhikkhunīs heard of this and reported it to Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī. In the end, the Buddha instructed: Whether one has already heard it or not, one must hear it again:

—If a bhikkhunī stretches out her hand to draw a man close beside her and then whispers in his ear, she commits a pācittiya offense.

EXPLANATION:

Bhikkhunī: As explained above.

Stretching out her hand to draw close beside her: Extending her hand to pull someone to stand near and beside her.

Whispering in the ear: If she whispers into another's ear, she commits a pācittiya offense.

A bhikkhunī must not stretch out her hand to draw a man close beside her and then speak with him, or whisper. If she wishes to speak, she must stand at a distance beyond arm's reach. If she wishes to discuss a confidential matter, she must stand with a fence, a wall, a tree trunk, or a curtain between them. If a bhikkhunī whispers in the ear of another, she commits a pācittiya offense.

If a bhikkhu stretches out his hand to draw a woman close beside him and speaks to her in whispers, he commits a dukkhaṭa offense. Therefore the Blessed One has spoken thus (as above).

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: THE TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

VERIFICATION OF MEANING: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH