Lzh Mu Bi Pm Pc 39Lying Down With One Not Fully Ordained

Discourse on Anupasampannasahaseyya — Lying Down With One Not Fully Ordained

Background

This rule appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the regulations concerning the daily life of bhikkhus. In the context of the early communal life of the Sangha, detailed rules for living together were established to maintain discipline and avoid situations that might cause misunderstanding or damage the image of the Dharma.

The Anupasampannasahaseyya discourse (anupasampanna = not fully ordained; sahaseyya = lying in the same place) is one of the training rules (sikkhāpada) concerning contact and shared living between bhikkhus. It belongs to the Pātimokkha, the disciplinary code that the Sangha must recite, and is intended to protect the spiritual resolve of practicing bhikkhus.

Main Content

This training rule states that a bhikkhu who has been fully ordained (upasampanna) should not lie overnight in the same place with a person who has not been fully ordained. Those not fully ordained include novices (sāmaṇera), those learning the Dharma, or those who have not completed the formal rites of ordination.

The reason for establishing this rule is not fear of bad habits or lack of trust, but the protection of the purity (brahmacariya) of the Sangha and the maintenance of the highest standard of celibate life for the sake of the Dharma. In addition, keeping this distance helps avoid misunderstandings from outsiders, ensuring that the image of the bhikkhu is always regarded as holy and worthy of respect.

This rule also reflects the principle of protecting each individual, ensuring that those not fully ordained are not negatively affected, while also protecting the minds of bhikkhus who have made solemn vows before the noble community. When this rule is violated, the bhikkhu must report it at the monthly uposatha assembly, acknowledging the fault in order to purify the offense.