Bi Pc 30

30. Kathinuddhārasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena aññatarena upāsakena saṅghaṁ uddissa vihāro kārāpito hoti. So tassa vihārassa mahe ubhatosaṅghassa akālacīvaraṁ dātukāmo hoti. Tena kho pana samayena ubhatosaṅghassa kathinaṁ atthataṁ hoti. Atha kho so upāsako saṅghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā kathinuddhāraṁ yāci. Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi— “anujānāmi, bhikkhave, kathinaṁ uddharituṁ. Evañca pana bhikkhave kathinaṁ uddharitabbaṁ. Byattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena saṅgho ñāpetabbo— ‘Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho. Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ, saṅgho kathinaṁ uddhareyya. Esā ñatti. Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho. Saṅgho kathinaṁ uddharati. Yassāyasmato khamati kathinassa uddhāro, so tuṇhassa; yassa nakkhamati, so bhāseyya. Ubbhataṁ saṅghena kathinaṁ, khamati saṅghassa, tasmā tuṇhī, evametaṁ dhārayāmī’”ti.

Blocking the ending of the robe season Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time a lay follower had built a dwelling for the Sangha. He wanted to give out-of-season robe-cloth to both Sanghas at the presentation ceremony for that dwelling, but both Sanghas had already performed the robe-making ceremony. That lay follower then went to the Sangha and asked it to make an end of the robe season. They told the Buddha. Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Monks, I allow you to end the robe season. And it should be done like this. A competent and capable monk should inform the Sangha: ‘Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. If the Sangha is ready, it should end the robe season. This is the motion. Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. The Sangha ends the robe season. Any monk who approves of ending the robe season should remain silent. Any monk who doesn’t approve should speak up. The Sangha has made an end of the robe season. The Sangha approves and is therefore silent. I will remember it thus.’”

Atha kho so upāsako bhikkhunisaṅghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā kathinuddhāraṁ yāci. Thullanandā bhikkhunī— “cīvaraṁ amhākaṁ bhavissatī”ti kathinuddhāraṁ paṭibāhi. Atha kho so upāsako ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo amhākaṁ kathinuddhāraṁ na dassantī”ti. Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tassa upāsakassa ujjhāyantassa khiyyantassa vipācentassa. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā dhammikaṁ kathinuddhāraṁ paṭibāhissatī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī dhammikaṁ kathinuddhāraṁ paṭibāhatī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī dhammikaṁ kathinuddhāraṁ paṭibāhissati. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

That lay follower then went to the Sangha of nuns and asked them to end the robe season. But the nun Thullanandā, aiming to get robe-cloth for herself, blocked the Sangha from doing it. That lay follower complained and criticized them, “How could the nuns not end the robe season for us?” The nuns heard the complaints of that lay follower. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, “How could Venerable Thullanandā block a legitimate ending of the robe season?” … “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:

“Yā pana bhikkhunī dhammikaṁ kathinuddhāraṁ paṭibāheyya, pācittiyan”ti.

Final ruling

‘If a nun blocks a legitimate ending of the robe season, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Yā panāti yā yādisā …pe… bhikkhunīti …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti. Dhammiko nāma kathinuddhāro samaggo bhikkhunisaṅgho sannipatitvā uddharati. Paṭibāheyyāti “kathaṁ idaṁ kathinaṁ na uddhareyyā”ti paṭibāhati, āpatti pācittiyassa.

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. A legitimate ending of the robe season: a unanimous Sangha of nuns brings it to an end. Blocks: if she blocks it with the thought, “What can be done so that the robe season doesn’t end?”, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Dhammike dhammikasaññā paṭibāhati, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Permutations

If it is a legitimate legal procedure, and she perceives it as such, and she blocks it, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Dhammike vematikā paṭibāhati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Dhammike adhammikasaññā paṭibāhati, anāpatti. Adhammike dhammikasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Adhammike vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Adhammike adhammikasaññā, anāpatti.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but she is unsure of it, and she blocks it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but she perceives it as illegitimate, and she blocks it, there is no offense. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but she perceives it as legitimate, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, and she perceives it as such, there is no offense.

Anāpatti— ānisaṁsaṁ dassetvā paṭibāhati, ummattikāya, ādikammikāyāti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if she can show a benefit in blocking it; if she is insane; if she is the first offender.