Bi Pc 38

38. Tiroraṭṭhasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ caranti. Dhuttā dūsenti. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ carissantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ carantī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ carissanti. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

Wandering outside the country Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time the nuns went wandering without a group of travelers where it was considered risky and dangerous outside their own country. Scoundrels raped them. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can nuns go wandering without a group of travelers where it’s considered risky and dangerous outside their own country?” … “Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “How can nuns do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

“Yā pana bhikkhunī tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ careyya, pācittiyan”ti.

Final ruling

‘If a nun goes wandering without a group of travelers where it is considered risky and dangerous outside her own country, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Yā panāti yā yādisā …pe… bhikkhunīti …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti. Tiroraṭṭheti yassa vijite viharati, taṁ ṭhapetvā aññassa raṭṭhe. Sāsaṅkaṁ nāma tasmiṁ magge corānaṁ niviṭṭhokāso dissati, bhuttokāso dissati, ṭhitokāso dissati, nisinnokāso dissati, nipannokāso dissati. Sappaṭibhayaṁ nāma tasmiṁ magge corehi manussā hatā dissanti, viluttā dissanti, ākoṭitā dissanti. Asatthikā nāma vinā satthena. Cārikaṁ careyyāti kukkuṭasampāte gāme gāmantare gāmantare, āpatti pācittiyassa. Agāmake araññe addhayojane addhayojane 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. Outside her own country: in any country apart from the one where she is living. Risky: a place has been seen along that road where criminals are camping, eating, standing, sitting, or lying down. Dangerous: criminals have been seen along that road, injuring, robbing, or beating people. Without a group of travelers: in the absence of a group of travelers. Goes wandering: when the inhabited areas are a chicken’s flight apart, then for every next inhabited area she commits an offense entailing confession. When it is an uninhabited area, a wilderness, then for every six kilometers she commits an offense entailing confession.

Anāpatti—

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

satthena saha gacchati, kheme appaṭibhaye gacchati, āpadāsu, ummattikāya, ādikammikāyāti.

if she travels with a group; if she travels where it is safe and free from danger; if there is an emergency; if she is insane; if she is the first offender.