San Sarv Bu Pm Finot Pc 43Sitting in a Concealed Place

Rahopaṭicchanna Discourse — Sitting in a Concealed Place

Background

Rahopaṭicchanna (raho = a private or hidden place; paṭicchanna = covered) is a prohibition in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the section of rules concerning the conduct and way of life of nuns. This record appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, where the Buddha established prohibitions to protect the purity and honor of the Sangha.

This passage is recorded in the context of disciplinary rules after the Buddha established the order of nuns, under the leadership of Khcivà, the cousin of the Buddha's wife. The prohibitions were stated to prevent conduct that might bring shame upon the monastic community or create opportunities for misunderstandings regarding the chaste nature of monastic life.

Main Content

The prohibition "Rahopaṭicchanna" concerns a bhikkhunī sitting in a secluded place, concealed from view, with men, especially men who are not relatives (akula-porisa). This action is considered a Pācittiya offence, a minor offence requiring confession.

The core principle of this rule is to avoid situations that may lead to suspicion or disappointment from the community. Even if the action is entirely pure, if it occurs in a concealed place where no one can witness it, it has violated the careful conduct that a practitioner should maintain. This reflects an important principle of the Vinaya: not only evil actions must be avoided, but also actions that may give rise to suspicion.

Buddhist law always emphasizes that a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī must protect his or her own honor, because that honor is also the honor of the entire Sangha. Any action, however small it may seem, if performed in a concealed place, has the capacity to weaken the people's trust in the monastic community.