Bi Pc 5151. Entering a monks’ monastery
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ārāmapavisana
A nun who enters a monks’ monastery without permission must confess the offense.
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Sutta Ārāmapavisana (Bi Pc 51)
Entering a monks' monastery without permission
Background
This is recorded in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha of the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition. This sutta arises from the context of the lifetime of the Buddha Śākyamuni, when the original Saṅgha organization had established detailed regulations to maintain communal discipline, to protect the honor of the fourfold assembly of disciples, and especially of female monastics (Bhikkhunīs).
Ārāma (āram) or àram in Pāli refers to a garden, monastery, or dwelling place of monastics. Ārāmapavisana means "entering the monastic garden." The distinction between a monastery of bhikkhus (monks) and a monastery of bhikkhunīs (nuns) is truly important in the Pātimokkha, for the purpose of protecting the dignity and orderly pursuit of practice and study.
Main Content
The Pātimokkha stipulates that if a bhikkhunī enters a monastery of bhikkhus without having been permitted (anujānāti)—that is, without the approval or authorization of the bhikkhus or the administrators of that monastery—she must confess this offense. This action is regarded as a Pācittiya, that is, an offense requiring confession and repentance.
The reason for this regulation is not discrimination, but rather to maintain the integrity of each separate monastic community. Male and female monasteries have different administrative needs, schedules of practice and study, and disciplinary requirements. Unauthorized entry can cause disturbance to the collective practice, affecting the concentration of the bhikkhus with regard to virtue (sīla) and meditation (samādhi).
In particular, this regulation also relates to the Buddhist ideal of right speech and the cultivation of such virtues as respect (sakkacca), conscious action (sampajañña), and careful conduct (appamāda). When a bhikkhunī asks permission beforehand, she practices humility and respect for the autonomy of the other monastic community.
Practical Significance
In a modern context, this teaches us about the importance of respecting boundaries and communal regulations.
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