Bu Pc 55. Lying down with one not fully ordained
Pāli / Sanskrit:Anupasampannasahaseyya
A monk who lies down in the same room as an unordained person for more than three nights must confess the offense.
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Vinaya Piṭaka Commentary: Anupasampannasahaseyya
Background
This rule is recorded in the Pātimokkha of the Sangha as a support for contemplating the ideal purity of the monastic community. In the early days of the Dispensation, the Buddha established rules of practice aimed at maintaining the integrity of the Sangha and protecting the honor of Buddhism in the eyes of the laity.
In the early period, when Buddhism was still young, the community of monastics often lived in close proximity to the general populace. Monks not only cultivated spiritual practice but were also required to uphold their vow of celibacy. The situation of male monastics sharing the same room with those not yet fully ordained for extended periods easily gave rise to misunderstanding and could cause harm to the virtuous reputation of the monastic order.
The Pāli term "Anupasampanna" (anupasampannasahaseyya) means "one who has not received full ordination," referring to those who are still in the status of novices or lay persons. This rule is not aimed at being overly strict regarding personal sentiment, but rather serves as a means of preserving the confidentiality of the monastery and protecting the trust of the community.
Main Content
According to Pācittiya (Bu Pc) number 5, male monastics are prohibited from sleeping in the same room as a person who has not received full ordination for more than three consecutive or non-consecutive nights. Should this limit be exceeded, the monk must confess a Pācittiya offense — that is, he must present the matter before the Sangha during the recitation of the Pātimokkha in order for the acknowledgment of the transgression to be received.
This rule applies broadly: whether the room is single or shared, whether the intention is appropriate or not, if one sleeps in the same room beyond three nights, the Pācittiya offense is incurred. The limit of three nights was established by the Buddha on the basis of practical experience in monastic life. Three nights is sufficient to demonstrate that such an arrangement is deliberate rather than accidental.
The offense is only fully constituted when three conditions are present together: first, the monk lies down to sleep (sayanti) in the room; second, a person who has not received full ordination also lies down in that same room; and third, the duration exceeds three nights.
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