Lzh Mg Bu Pm Pc 27Travelling on a Boat With a Nun
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nāvābhiruhana
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Commentary on the Nāvābhiruhana Sutta (Travelling on a Boat with a Nun)
Background
This sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically within the Pātimokkha section of the Bhikkhunī Vinaya—the collection of rules established exclusively for the community of nuns. The text was recorded in order to regulate the conduct of monastics, protect the spirit of practice, and maintain mutual respect among members of the Sangha.
The historical context of this rule arose from practical situations encountered in the life of training. During the time the Buddha was still living, he witnessed cases in which bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs travelled together on long boat journeys, giving rise to concerns about proper conduct and the maintenance of focused practice. The rules within the Vinaya Piṭaka represent the perfectly wise guidance of the Buddha, established to safeguard the purity of the Sangha.
Principal Content
The Nāvābhiruhana Sutta stipulates that a bhikkhu should not travel together with a bhikkhunī on long boat journeys, particularly those involving extended crossings of rivers or open water. This rule does not arise from any suspicion regarding the character or good intentions of the monastics involved; rather, it is a prudent preventive measure designed to protect the purity of the environment of practice.
The fundamental reasons underlying this rule include the following: first, long boat journeys are fraught with disturbances—rough waves, unpredictable weather, confined space—all of which may unsettle and distract the contemplative mind. Second, under such conditions it is difficult to maintain the respectful distance between male and female monastics that other rules likewise emphasize. Third, the simultaneous presence of both genders may give rise to misunderstandings or unjust judgments on the part of others.
This rule is recorded in detail, together with specific situations and valid exceptions. For instance, if both must travel by boat for objective reasons—such as fleeing together from danger—then it is necessary either that others be present on the same vessel, or that an appropriate distance be maintained, or that both avoid being confined alone together in an enclosed space.
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