Bi Pc 145145. Traveling with thieves
Pāli / Sanskrit:Theyyasattha
A nun who travels by arrangement with thieves must confess the offense.
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Theyyasattha Sutta — Traveling with Thieves
Background
This rule appears in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha (the Fourfold Dhamma), the code of discipline for bhikkhunīs (nuns) in the traditional Theravāda Vinaya. In the early period of Buddhism, when travel was dangerous and means of transportation were limited, nuns frequently had to journey between monasteries to study the Dhamma, practice meditation, or respond to the needs of Buddhist communities. However, unmarried women traveling on the roads in ancient times faced no small number of obstacles regarding safety and social propriety.
The legal context of this rule relates directly to the principle of protecting the reputation of the Saṅgha as well as ensuring the safety of nuns. The Blessed One addressed this issue: a bhikkhunī traveling together with individuals whom she knows, or with whom she has made prior arrangements, to be thieves. Although this action does not violate the rules against killing or improper contact, it gives rise to serious spiritual and social consequences.
Main Content
Theyyasattha (from theyya = thief, sattha = fellow traveler, or those with whom a prior arrangement has been made) refers to a specific case: if a bhikkhunī knows in advance that she will be traveling together with thieves, or if she has made an "arrangement" (pāripunnatā) to travel with them, this constitutes a violation of the rule that she must confess.
This offense does not fall within the category of Pārājika (the four grave offenses leading to expulsion), but is rather a Pācittiya (a lesser offense). This means the bhikkhunī must confess the fault before the community of bhikkhunīs or before a junior bhikkhunī, and receive absolution (anumoddhana) in order to restore purity of body and mind.
This rule rests upon three important factors: (1) she must clearly know that they are thieves; (2) she must have the intention of making arrangements to travel with them; (3) she must have actually traveled with them. If any one of these three conditions is absent, the offense is not fully consummated.
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