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Theravāda — Pali Canon · Vinaya Piṭaka — The Discipline Basket

Bi Pc 3535. Evicting a nun

Pāli / Sanskrit:Nikkaḍḍhana

📖929 words · ~4 min read
2
Summary

A nun who gives a dwelling place to another nun and then throws her out must confess the offense.

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Full translation (English)

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law The Nuns’ Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession The subchapter on lying down 35. Evicting a nun

Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time Bhaddā Kāpilānī had entered the rainy-season residence at Sāketa. But because she was disturbed by a certain matter, she sent a message to the nun Thullanandā: “If you would give me a dwelling place, I would come to Sāvatthī.” Thullanandā replied, “Please come; I’ll give you one.”

Bhaddā Kāpilānī then traveled from Sāketa to Sāvatthī, and Thullanandā gave her a dwelling place. At that time Thullanandā was a learned reciter, and she was confident and skilled at giving teachings. Bhaddā Kāpilānī, too, was a learned reciter who was confident and skilled at giving teachings, and she was respected for her excellence. Because of this, people visited Bhaddā Kāpilānī first and then Thullanandā. Overcome by jealousy, Thullanandā thought, “These ones, who are supposedly contented and have few desires, who are supposedly secluded and not socializing, are always persuading and convincing people.” And in anger she threw Bhaddā Kāpilānī out of that dwelling place.

The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, “How could Venerable Thullanandā give a dwelling place to Venerable Bhaddā Kāpilānī and then throw her out in anger?” … “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā did this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked her … “How could the nun Thullanandā do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

Final ruling

‘If a nun gives a dwelling place to a nun, and then, in anger, throws her out or has her thrown out, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

A: whoever … Nun: … The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case.

To a nun: to another nun. A dwelling place: one that has a door is what is meant. Gives: she gives it herself.

In anger: discontent, having hatred, hostile. Throws out: if she takes hold of her in a room and throws her out to the entryway, she commits an offense entailing confession. If she takes hold of her in the entryway and throws her outside, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Even if she makes her go through many doors with a single effort, she commits one offense entailing confession. Has thrown out: if she asks another, she commits an offense entailing confession. If she only asks once, then even if the other makes her go through many doors, she commits one offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If the other person is fully ordained, and she perceives her as such, and she gives her a dwelling place, and she then throws her out in anger or has her thrown out, she commits an offense entailing confession. If the other person is fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, and she gives her a dwelling place, and she then throws her out in anger or has her thrown out, she commits an offense entailing confession. If the other person is fully ordained, but she does not perceive her as such, and she gives her a dwelling place, and she then throws her out in anger or has her thrown out, she commits an offense entailing confession.

If she throws out one of her requisites, or she has it thrown out, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If she throws her out or has her thrown out from a dwelling place without a door, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If she throws out one of her requisites from a dwelling place without a door, or she has it thrown out, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If she throws out one who is not fully ordained, or she has her thrown out, from a dwelling place with or without a door, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If she throws out one of her requisites from that place, or she has it thrown out, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If the other person is not fully ordained, but she perceives her as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the other person is not fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the other person is not fully ordained, and she does not perceive her as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if she throws out, or has thrown out, one who is shameless; if she throws out, or has thrown out, a requisite belonging to that person; if she throws out, or has thrown out, one who is insane; if she throws out, or has thrown out, a requisite belonging to that person; if she throws out, or has thrown out, one who is quarrelsome and argumentative, and who creates legal issues in the Sangha; if she throws out, or has thrown out, a requisite belonging to that person; if she throws out, or has thrown out, a pupil or student who is not conducting herself properly; if she throws out, or has thrown out, a requisite belonging to that person; if she is insane; if she is the first offender.

The fifth training rule is finished.

📜Why does this text contain “…”?

The “…” is an abbreviation carried over from the Pāli original itself, called peyyāla. The early canon was memorized and recited, so passages repeated verbatim from a preceding discourse were commonly contracted to an elision mark rather than written out in full. Venerable Thích Minh Châu's translation preserves this convention. Some texts therefore look short — but that is the canonical form, not missing content or a truncated translation. The elided passages can be read in full in the preceding discourses of the same chapter.

Translation source: HT. Thích Minh ChâuLicense: CC0-1.0 (Sujato) · personal-use (Minh Châu)

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