Lzh Sarv Bu Vb Pc 28Sitting in Private
Pāli / Sanskrit:Rahonisajja
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RAHONISAJJA SUTTA (SITTING IN PRIVATE)
Background
The Rahonisajja Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Pāli Canon, specifically the Pātimokkha, the detailed prohibitions for bhikkhus. This text arose from an event in the earliest monastic community, when the Buddha and his disciples were still living in the world.
The background of Rahonisajja concerns the conditions surrounding female devotees and bhikkhus. To maintain the purity of conduct, the Buddha-Dharma gives special attention to situations that may create difficulties for practice or dim the image of the Sangha in the eyes of the world. Therefore, rules concerning attitude, action, and the sitting places of bhikkhus when with female lay devotees are clearly prescribed.
The Rahonisajja Sutta directly addresses the issue of a bhikkhu sitting alone in a private place with a woman. This is not an absolute prohibition, but a warning about the caution needed to protect both sides, the monastic and the female devotee, from misunderstandings or potential dangers.
Main Content
According to the Pāli Canon tradition, Rahonisajja prescribes that a bhikkhu should not sit alone (rahonisajja) in a private place with a woman, unless a third person is present or the place is within public view. This is prescribed as a Pātimokkha rule. If it is violated, the monastic must confess and undergo the corresponding disciplinary process.
The basic reason for this rule is to protect the honor of the Sangha and avoid unnecessary suspicion from the world. In ancient Indian society, a man, especially one who had gone forth, sitting privately with a woman could be misunderstood as failing to respect the rule of celibacy and purity for ascetics.
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