Lzh Mi Bi Vb Pc 75Sitting in Private

Rahonisajja Sutta - Sitting Alone in Private

Background

Rahonisajja (rahonisajja, from "raho" = secluded, private and "nisajja" = sitting) is a regulation in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition. This discourse appears among the prohibitions (Pāṭimokkha) for bhikkhunīs, female Buddhist monastics, and belongs to the Pācittiya class, actions requiring confession and repentance.

The background for the origin of this rule concerns difficulties in the community of female monastics in the early period, when the Buddha was still living. Bhikkhunīs needed to observe strict ethics in order to protect personal well-being, the honor of the Sangha, and the faith of the religious community. The rule on "sitting in private" is one means of ensuring this purity.

Main Content

According to the Pāli Vinaya Piṭaka, if a bhikkhunī sits (nisajja) in a secluded, private place (raho) with a man, without a witness or without another person nearby, this action is regarded as a Pācittiya violation. More specifically, the rule applies when a nun intentionally sits alone with a man in a place where others cannot see or are not paying attention.

The purpose of the rule is not to absolutely prohibit interaction between men and women, but to prevent harmful possibilities that may arise: suspicion, anxiety about moral conduct, or situations that easily lead to error. The Vinaya Piṭaka emphasizes the principle of "Parisuddhisikkhāpada," training rules for the purity of the mind.

If a bhikkhunī violates it, she must confess this fault before another bhikkhunī or before the bhikkhunī saṅgha. This confession is not a punishment, but an opportunity to correct mental intention and arouse genuine remorse.

Practical Meaning

The Rahonisajja rule reflects a profound principle in Theravāda Buddhism: practice is not only the management of outward actions, but the cultivation of the mind from within.