Lzh Mg Bu Vb Ay 1First Undetermined Offence
Pāli / Sanskrit:Paṭhamaaniyata
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Scripture on the First Undetermined Offence
Paṭhamaaniyata Saṃvara
Background
The Paṭhamaaniyata (First Undetermined Offence) belongs to the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga (Analysis of the Rules for Nuns), a section of the Vinaya Piṭaka. This is a collection of rules of moral discipline for female monastics, recorded from the early period of Theravāda Buddhism.
When the Blessed One permitted women to go forth and established the community of nuns, he transmitted the Eight Principles of Respect for the bhikkhunīs to observe. These regulations are recorded in detail in the Vinaya Piṭaka with the aim of protecting virtue, maintaining harmony within the Sangha, and ensuring the long-term flourishing of the Dharma. The Paṭhamaaniyata concerns offences whose nature has not been clearly determined according to the ordinary categories of transgression.
Principal Content
The term "aniyata" (undetermined) in the context of the monastic code refers to actions or situations whose consequences depend upon various factors. Unlike offences that have specific provisions and clearly defined penalties, undetermined offences require the judgment of the Sangha based on the particular circumstances.
In the Paṭhamaaniyata, the Blessed One instructed the bhikkhunīs concerning actions involving interaction with bhikkhus or laymen whose quality as a transgression of the rule has not been determined from the outset. For example, if a bhikkhunī attends gatherings or assemblies where it is not clear whether her purpose is one of spiritual practice or some other reason, the matter requires careful examination.
This rule emphasizes that bhikkhunīs must at all times maintain their independence of character, avoiding situations that give rise to suspicion or that adversely affect the honor of the community of nuns. The purpose is not to impose unduly severe restrictions, but to protect female monastics from circumstances that could lead to mistaken decisions or misunderstandings on the part of the public.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.