Lzh Mi Bi Vb Pc 97Lodgings

The Scripture on Lodgings - Āvasathavihāra

Background

The Āvasathavihāra scripture (Lodgings) is a regulation in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. This scripture belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically the Pātimokkha Saṃvara, the basic code, of the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the discipline for monastics. It addresses matters related to how female monastics (bhikkhunīs) arrange and use their lodgings, especially in the context of the monastic community and the suitability of dwelling places.

The historical context of this scripture is connected with the principles of early Buddhist practice, where monastics were required to live according to strict disciplinary rules in order to restrain themselves, protect reputation, and build the trust of the community. Rules about lodgings are not merely practical physical matters, but are deeply related to ethical factors, restraint of mind (saṃvara), and the nature of simple living.

Main Content

The Āvasathavihāra regulation revolves around a basic principle: female monastics must choose and maintain lodging in a way suitable to the bodhisattva path, that is, in accordance with the rule and with pure practice.

According to this principle, female monastics should choose lodging so that:

First, the dwelling place is safe and able to protect one’s practice from distracting external factors. The lodging should be a place where female monastics can concentrate on meditation (jhāna) and increase wisdom (paññā).

Second, the use of lodging must comply with discipline. A female monastic should not possess a dwelling for personal purposes, nor accumulate or manage it as private property. The scripture teaches that a lodging is a temporary dwelling, an instrument supporting Dharma practice, not something to be owned.

Third, female monastics must avoid conduct that could give rise to suspicion or disgrace for the monastic community.