Nuns’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 14

^{Bi-Pc.14.1.1 BD.3.267} … at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the nun Thullanandā, stood together with and talked with a man, the one with the other, on a carriage road and in a cul-de-sac and at cross-roads,^[1] and she whispered in his ear^[2] and she dismissed the nun who was her companion. Those who were modest nuns … spread it about, saying:

“How can the lady Thullanandā stand together with … at cross-roads, and whisper in his ear and dismiss the nun who is her companion?” …

“Is it true, as is said, monks, that the nun Thullanandā stood together with … and dismissed the nun who is her companion?”

“It is true, lord.”

The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked them, saying:

“How, monks, can the nun Thullanandā stand together with … and dismiss the nun who is her companion? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … this rule of training: ^Vin.4.271

“Whatever nun should stand together with or should talk with a man, the one with the other, on a carriage road or in a cul-de-sac or at cross-roads^[3] or should whisper in his ear or should dismiss the nun who is her companion, there is an offence of expiation.”

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^Bi-Pc.14.2.1 Whatever means: … nun is to be understood in this case.

^BD.3.268 Carriage road means: it is called a carriage road.^[4]

Cul-de-sac means: they depart by that (way) by which they entered.

Cross-roads means: it is called a place where four roads meet.^[5]

Man means: a human man, not a yakkha, not a departed one, not an animal; one who is learned, competent to stand, to talk.^[6]

Together with means: together.^[7]

The one with the other means: there is a man as well as a nun.^[8]

Should stand together with means: … offence of expiation.^[9]

Or should talk with means: … offence of expiation.^[10]

Or should whisper in his ear means: if she talks close into a man’s ear,^[11] there is an offence of expiation.

Or should dismiss the nun who is her companion means: if, desiring to indulge in bad habits, she then^[12] dismisses the nun who is her companion, there is an offence of wrong-doing.^[13] In leaving the region of sight or the region of hearing, there is an offence of wrong-doing. When she has left, there, is an offence of expiation.^[14] If she stands or talks, having left (the space of) a reach of the hand, there is an offence of wrong-doing.^[15] If she stands together with or talks with a yakkha or a departed one or a eunuch or an animal in human form, there is an offence of wrong-doing.

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^Bi-Pc.14.2.2 There is no offence if some learned friend comes to be (present); if, not wishing for a private place she stands ^BD.3.269 or talks thinking about something else^[16]; if, not wishing to indulge in bad habits, she dismisses the nun who is her companion if there is something to be done^[17]; if she is mad, if she is the first wrong-doer.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

These three words occur above, BD.3.105 (Vin.4.176) in definition of “among the houses.”

[2]:

nikaṇṇikaṃ jappeti.

[3]:

Curiously translated by B.C. Law, History of Pali Literature 1.74, in (12) “in the public street or cross roads where there are crows.”

[4]:

rathiyā nāma racchā vuccati. Racchā is a contracted form of rathiyā; it occurs at Vin.2.194, Vin.3.151; Ja.1.346, Ja.1.425, and in definition of rathikā, at Vin-a.886.

[5]:

siṅghāṭako nāma caccaraṃ vuccati. Cf. explanation of siṅghāṭaka at Vin-a.886, quoted above, BD.3.105. The word caccara occurs at Vin.3.151 (BD.1.257); Mil.330; Ja.1.425.

[6]:

= above, BD.3.264.

[7]:

= above, BD.3.264.

[8]:

= above, BD.3.264.

[9]:

= above, BD.3.264.

[10]:

= above, BD.3.264.

[11]:

upakaṇṇake, or secretly; cf. Vin.2.99, Vin.4.20 (BD.2.203).

[12]:

pi, which Oldenberg says, Vin.4.367, “we ought to expunge.”

[13]:

Cf. Vin.4.93 (BD.2.352) in definition of “should dismiss.”

[14]:

Cf. Vin.4.93 (BD.2.352) in definition of “should dismiss.”

[15]:

Cf. above, BD.3.264.

[16]:

Cf. Vin.4.69, Vin.4.97 (BD.2.301, BD.2.358), BD.2.269 (above, BD.3.264).

[17]:

Cf. Vin.4.94 (BD.2.353). Vin-a.927 says on the above passage, “if it is for conveying ticket-food or for putting in order something badly arranged in the dwelling-place.”