Buddhism · Vinaya Pitaka · Monastic Discipline

Rule 76

Not resolving a legal issue · 45. Adhikaraṇasikkhāpada

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At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, a certain nun went to the nun Thullanandā and said, “Please come, venerable, and resolve this legal issue.” Thullanandā agreed, but then neither resolved it nor made any effort to do so. That nun told the nuns what had happened. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, “How could Venerable Thullanandā agree to resolve a legal issue, but then neither resolve it nor make any effort to do so?” … “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā acted like this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked her … “How could the nun Thullanandā act like this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena aññatarā bhikkhunī thullanandaṁ bhikkhuniṁ upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca— “ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī”ti. Thullanandā bhikkhunī— “sādhū”ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasameti na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti. Atha kho sā bhikkhunī bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā bhikkhuniyā— ‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā— ‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasamessati na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karissatī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī bhikkhuniyā— ‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā— ‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasameti na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karotī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī bhikkhuniyā— ‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā— ‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā, neva vūpasamessati na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karissati. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

‘If, when a nun is requested by a nun to resolve a legal issue, she agrees, but then neither resolves it nor makes any effort to resolve it, then, if there were no obstacles, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

“Yā pana bhikkhunī bhikkhuniyā—‘ehāyye, imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehī’ti vuccamānā—‘sādhū’ti paṭissuṇitvā sā pacchā anantarāyikinī neva vūpasameyya na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ kareyya, pācittiyan”ti.

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. By a nun: by another nun. A legal issue: there are four kinds of legal issues: legal issues arising from disputes, legal issues arising from accusations, legal issues arising from offenses, legal issues arising from business. To resolve a legal issue: to make a decision on a legal issue. Then, if there were no obstacles: when there is no obstacle. Neither resolves it: she does not resolve it herself. Nor makes any effort to resolve it: she does not ask anyone else. If, thinking, “I’ll neither resolve it nor make any effort to resolve it,” then, by the mere fact of abandoning her duty, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Yā panāti yā yādisā …pe… bhikkhunīti …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti. Bhikkhuniyāti aññāya bhikkhuniyā. Adhikaraṇaṁ nāma cattāri adhikaraṇāni— vivādādhikaraṇaṁ, anuvādādhikaraṇaṁ, āpattādhikaraṇaṁ, kiccādhikaraṇaṁ. Ehāyye imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vūpasamehīti ehāyye imaṁ adhikaraṇaṁ vinicchehi. Sā pacchā anantarāyikinīti asati antarāye. Neva vūpasameyyāti na sayaṁ vūpasameyya. Na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ kareyyāti na aññaṁ āṇāpeyya. “Neva vūpasamessāmi na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karissāmī”ti dhuraṁ nikkhittamatte, āpatti pācittiyassa.

If the other person is fully ordained, and she perceives her as such, and she neither resolves the legal issue nor makes any effort to resolve it, she commits an offense entailing confession. If the other person is fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, and she neither resolves the legal issue nor makes any effort to resolve it, she commits an offense entailing confession. If the other person is fully ordained, but she does not perceive her as such, and she neither resolves the legal issue nor makes any effort to resolve it, she commits an offense entailing confession. If the other person is not fully ordained, and she neither resolves the legal issue nor makes any effort to resolve it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the other person is not fully ordained, but she perceives her as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the other person is not fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the other person is not fully ordained, and she does not perceive her as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Upasampannāya upasampannasaññā adhikaraṇaṁ neva vūpasameti na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Upasampannāya vematikā adhikaraṇaṁ neva vūpasameti, na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Upasampannāya anupasampannasaññā adhikaraṇaṁ neva vūpasameti, na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Anupasampannāya adhikaraṇaṁ neva vūpasameti, na vūpasamāya ussukkaṁ karoti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Anupasampannāya upasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Anupasampannāya vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Anupasampannāya anupasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

There is no offense: if there is an obstacle; if she searches, but is unable to find anyone to settle it; if she is sick; if there is an emergency; if she is insane; if she is the first offender. The fifth training rule is finished.

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

Origin story

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Final ruling

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Definitions

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Permutations

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Non-offenses

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