Bu Pc 4545. Sitting alone with a woman
Pāli / Sanskrit:Rahonisajja
A monk who, seeking privacy, sits in private with a woman must confess the offense.
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Rahonisajja: Sitting Alone in Private with a Woman
Background
This rule is recorded in the Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha (the code of rules for female monastics) in the Theravāda tradition, specifically belonging to the category of Pācittiya (offenses requiring expiation). The rule itself arose from specific situations that occurred while the Buddha Gotama was still living. The elder monastics in the Saṅgha observed that certain monks were taking advantage of privacy to sit in seclusion with women, giving rise to the potential for moral transgression and undermining the confidence of the lay Buddhist community.
The Buddha therefore established this prohibition to protect both the honor of the Saṅgha and the purity of the Dhamma. The rule does not aim to judge specific intentions or outcomes, but rather to cut off at the root those situations that could lead to wrongdoing — what is called "preventive from afar" (antagaṇikā).
Main Content
Rahonisajja (ရဟောနိသဇ္ဇ) means "sitting in a concealed or hidden place." The rule stipulates that a monk must not, with the intention of seeking privacy or concealing himself, sit or lie down together with a woman in a place that cannot be seen or that may be obscured. This is a Pācittiya, meaning an offense that must be confessed before another monastic.
In the context of the Vinaya (Monastic Discipline), "privacy" (rahonisajja) refers not only to a physical location but also encompasses a state of mind — when the monk knows he is doing something he does not wish others to know about. This makes no distinction regarding religion, status, or whether or not the persons involved are acquainted. Any woman, whether a laywoman or a lay Buddhist, whether young or old, is protected by this rule.
No offense occurs if a third person is present, or if the place of sitting is clearly illuminated and open. Nor does an offense occur if the monk has no intention of concealment but merely happens to be seated nearby. All factors of intention (cetanā) are taken into consideration within the Vinaya.
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