Bi Pc 58

58. Ovādasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū bhikkhunupassayaṁ upasaṅkamitvā chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo ovadanti. Bhikkhuniyo chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo etadavocuṁ— “ethāyye, ovādaṁ gamissāmā”ti. “Yampi mayaṁ, ayye, gaccheyyāma ovādassa kāraṇā, ayyā chabbaggiyā idheva āgantvā amhe ovadantī”ti. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo ovādaṁ na gacchissantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo ovādaṁ na gacchantī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo ovādaṁ na gacchissanti. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

Not going to the instruction Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying in the Sakyan country in the Banyan Tree Monastery at Kapilavatthu, the monks from the group of six went to the nunnery to instruct the nuns from the group of six. Soon afterwards other nuns said to those nuns, “Come, venerables, let’s go to the instruction.” “There’s no need. The monks from the group of six came and instructed us right here.” The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, “How could the nuns from the group of six not go to the instruction?” … “Is it true, monks, that those nuns didn’t do this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “How could the nuns from the group of six not do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

“Yā pana bhikkhunī ovādāya vā saṁvāsāya vā na gaccheyya, pācittiyan”ti.

Final ruling

‘If a nun does not go to the instruction or to a formal meeting of the community, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Yā panāti yā yādisā …pe… bhikkhunīti …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti. Ovādo nāma aṭṭha garudhammā. Saṁvāso nāma ekakammaṁ ekuddeso samasikkhatā. Ovādāya vā saṁvāsāya vā na gacchissāmīti dhuraṁ nikkhittamatte 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. The instruction: the eight important principles. The community: joint legal procedures, a joint recitation, the same training. If she thinks, “I won’t go to the instruction or to formal meetings of the community,” then by the mere fact of abandoning her duty, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Anāpatti— sati antarāye, pariyesitvā dutiyikaṁ bhikkhuniṁ na labhati, gilānāya, āpadāsu, ummattikāya, ādikammikāyāti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if there is an obstacle; if she searches for a companion nun, but does not find one; if she is sick; if there is an emergency; if she is insane; if she is the first offender.