Bi Pc 5757. Not doing the invitation ceremony
Pāli / Sanskrit:Apavāraṇā
A nun who does not invite correction from both Orders after the rainy season must confess the offense.
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Commentary on Bhikkhunī Pācittiya 57: Not Performing the Invitation Ceremony
Background
This rule is found in the Bhikkhunī Pācittiya (the section of the Bhikkhunī Vinaya dealing with offenses requiring confession). It relates directly to an important communal ceremony in the Theravāda tradition: the Pavāraṇā ceremony, or the ceremony of "opening oneself to admonition," which takes place at the conclusion of the Vassa (the three-month rains retreat).
According to the Pali Vinaya, at the end of the rains retreat, the monastic community must hold a solemn ceremony. During this ceremony, monastics have the opportunity to publicly invite other members of the community to point out any faults or improper conduct that they have observed. This is a mechanism of collective self-regulation, embodying the principles of sincerity, transparency, and repentance in the monastic life.
The Pavāraṇā ceremony carries deep significance: "apavāraṇā" (apa + varaṇā) means "removing the veil" or "opening up the possibility of admonition." It is not a form of punishment, but rather an opportunity for all monastics, whether male or female, to publicly acknowledge and confess faults, so that the mind may be purified and the community brought into harmony.
Main Content
According to Bhikkhunī Pācittiya 57, a bhikkhunī has the responsibility to participate in the Pavāraṇā ceremony following the Vassa. More specifically, this ceremony must be conducted "before both Saṅghas" (ubho saṅgha — that is, the Bhikkhu Saṅgha and the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha), or, if the full conditions cannot be met, at minimum with the participation of designated monastics acting as representatives of the community.
If a bhikkhunī deliberately fails to participate in this ceremony of opening herself to admonition, or does not formally perform the invitation to correction, she commits an offense under this rule. The act of "not doing" (akaraṇa) in this context does not refer to a lapse of spirit or inattentiveness, but rather to the failure to fulfill a collective obligation prescribed by the Vinaya.
Failure to perform this ceremony is regarded as a Pācittiya offense — an offense requiring confession at a meeting of the Uposatha (the Buddhist observance day held twice monthly).
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