Bi Pc 68

68. Sahajīvinīsikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena thullanandā bhikkhunī sahajīviniṁ vuṭṭhāpetvā dve vassāni neva anuggaṇhāti na anuggaṇhāpeti. Tā bālā honti abyattā; na jānanti kappiyaṁ vā akappiyaṁ vā. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā sahajīviniṁ vuṭṭhāpetvā dve vassāni neva anuggaṇhissati na anuggaṇhāpessatī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī sahajīviniṁ vuṭṭhāpetvā dve vassāni neva anuggaṇhāti na anuggaṇhāpetī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī sahajīviniṁ vuṭṭhāpetvā dve vassāni neva anuggaṇhissati na anuggaṇhāpessati. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

Not guiding a disciple after ordination Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time the nun Thullanandā gave the full admission to a disciple, but then, for the next two years, neither guided her nor had her guided. They were ignorant and incompetent, and they did not know what was allowable and what was not. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, “How can Venerable Thullanandā give the full admission to a disciple, and then neither guide her nor have her guided for two years?” … “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā does this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked her … “How can 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 sahajīviniṁ vuṭṭhāpetvā dve vassāni neva anuggaṇheyya na anuggaṇhāpeyya, pācittiyan”ti.

Final ruling

‘If a nun gives the full admission to a disciple, and then, for the next two years, neither guides her nor has her guided, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Yā panāti yā yādisā …pe… bhikkhunīti …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti. Sahajīvinī nāma saddhivihārinī vuccati. Vuṭṭhāpetvāti upasampādetvā. Dve vassānīti dve saṁvaccharāni. Neva anuggaṇheyyāti na sayaṁ anuggaṇheyya uddesena paripucchāya ovādena anusāsaniyā. Na anuggaṇhāpeyyāti na aññaṁ āṇāpeyya “dve vassāni neva anuggaṇhissāmi na anuggaṇhāpessāmī”ti 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. A disciple: a student is what is meant. Gives the full admission: gives the full ordination. Two years: two twelve-month periods. Neither guides her: she does not herself guide her—through recitation, through questioning, through instruction, through teaching. Nor has her guided: she does not ask anyone else. If she thinks, “I’ll neither guide her nor have her guided for two years,” then by the mere fact of abandoning her duty, she commits an offense entailing confession.

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

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if there is an obstacle; if she searches for someone to guide her, but cannot find anyone; if she is sick; if there is an emergency; if she is insane; if she is the first offender.