Bi Pc 49

49. Tiracchānavijjāpariyāpuṇanasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo tiracchānavijjaṁ pariyāpuṇanti. Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo tiracchānavijjaṁ pariyāpuṇissanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti. Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo tiracchānavijjaṁ pariyāpuṇissantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo tiracchānavijjaṁ pariyāpuṇantī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo tiracchānavijjaṁ pariyāpuṇissanti. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

Studying worldly subjects Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time the nuns from the group of six were studying worldly subjects. People complained and criticized them, “How can the nuns study worldly subjects? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!” The nuns heard the complaints of those people, and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can the nuns from the group of six do this?” … “Is it true, monks, that those nuns do this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “How can the nuns from the group of six do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

“Yā pana bhikkhunī tiracchānavijjaṁ pariyāpuṇeyya, pācittiyan”ti.

Final ruling

‘If a nun studies worldly subjects, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Yā panāti yā yādisā …pe… bhikkhunīti …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti. Tiracchānavijjā nāma yaṁ kiñci bāhirakaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ. Pariyāpuṇeyyāti padena pariyāpuṇāti, pade pade āpatti pācittiyassa. Akkharāya pariyāpuṇāti, akkharakkharāya 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. Worldly subjects: whatever is external to the Buddha’s Teaching, not connected with the goal. Learns: if she learns by the line, then for every line she commits an offense entailing confession. If she learns by the syllable, then for every syllable she commits an offense entailing confession.

Anāpatti— lekhaṁ pariyāpuṇāti, dhāraṇaṁ pariyāpuṇāti, guttatthāya parittaṁ pariyāpuṇāti, ummattikāya, ādikammikāyāti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if she learns writing; if she learns protective verses; if she learns verses for the purpose of protection; if she is insane; if she is the first offender.