Bi Np 44. Asking for something else
Pāli / Sanskrit:Aññaviññāpana
A nun who asks for one thing but after receiving it says she wants something else must relinquish the item and confess the offense.
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Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha Commentary 4 – The Rule on Asking for Something Else
Background
This rule is recorded in the Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha (the code of training rules for bhikkhunīs), an important part of the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda tradition. The Pāṭimokkha is the fundamental code of conduct that every bhikkhunī must uphold and recite monthly during the Poṣadha (Uposatha day).
The rule Aññaviññāpana (Asking for Something Else) is one of the rules designed to protect the spirit of honesty and to prevent deceptive conduct within the Sangha community. It reflects the Buddha's deep concern for matters pertaining to the practitioner's mind — how we express our intentions, how we receive what others offer, and how we handle unexpected changes in what we seek.
Main Content
According to the content of this rule, the situation arises when a bhikkhunī requests a certain item from the community or from another person — such as a set of robes, a blanket, or something related to the necessities of monastic practice. She receives the item she requested, but then declares that she actually wanted something else, not this.
This action is regarded as a serious offense, falling under the category of Saṅghādisesa (offenses requiring disclosure before the Sangha). It is not a most serious offense like the first rules of the Pāṭimokkha (Pārājika), yet it reflects a lack of honesty, subtle deception, or a failure to govern one's intentions.
To address this offense, the bhikkhunī must do two things: first, she must completely relinquish the item she received; second, she must disclose the offense before the Sangha (bhikkhunī-saṅgha) and sincerely confess her wrongdoing. Through this disclosure and public acknowledgment of the fault, the practitioner has the opportunity to purify her mind and restore a relationship of trust with the community.
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