THE BHIKKUNI PATIMOKKHA[]

DISCIPLINARY RULES FOR BHIKKUNIS(NUNS)

Sanghadisesa Dhamma(Meeting of Order)[]

(OFFENCES TO BE PARDONED BY COMMUNITY MEETING OF BHIKKHUS AND BHIKKHUNIS OF MORE THAN TWENTY)

Pali Versions : Pali-English Version & Pali-Devanagri Version

Sanghadisesa Summary[]

Noble ladies, now the seventeen serious offences will be recited.

Precept for quarrelling

1. A bhikkhuni leading a quarrelsome life, quarrelling with a householder, his son, a servant, a workman or at least a wandering ascetic, falls with the first offence and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

Precept for associating a deceitful woman.

2. A bhikkhuni knowing that a certain woman is deceitful, ignoring the fact and without a suitable arrangement with the king, the Community, a group, a guild, or an army, associates her and falls with the first offence and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

Precept for wandering alone in the village.

3. A bhikkhuni, wandering alone in the village, or crossing the river alone, or spending the night alone, or leaving the Community of bhikkhunis, falls with the first offence and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

Precept for restoring an ex-communicated.

4. A bhikkhunã restoring another bhikkhunã, rightfully ex-communicated by the Community of bhikkhunis, according to the discipline of the dispensation of the Teacher, ignoring the decisions of the working committee, and the ex-communication by a majority of votes, falls with the first offence and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

Precept for accepting food.

5.A bhikkhuni accepting eatables and drinks from the hands of a male with desire, falls with the first offence and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

The second precept for accepting food.

6. A bhikkhuni saying: `Noble lady, what does it matter, whether this male is with or without desire, you without desire, accept the eatables and drinks with your own hands and partake them.' Here she falls with the first offence and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

Training precept for acting as go-between.

7.A bhikkhuni conveying a woman's intentions to a man or a man's intentions to a woman, or at least for a temporary communion falls with the first offence and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

Training precept for evil anger.

8. A bhikkhuni angry and displeased accuses another bhikkhuni saying she merits complete ex-communication, `What is the use of this holy life, give up robes.' Later when questioned, or not, or after a complete examination, the accusation proves to be wrong and is found that the bhikkhuni had been angry. This bhikkhuni falls with the first offence and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

For a precept, in another section.

9 A bhikkhuni angry and displeased accuses a bhikkhuni, with an irrelevant category of offences, for a small reason and says she merits complete ex-communication, `What is the use of this holy life, give up robes.' Later when questioned, or not or after a complete examination of the other class of offences, the accusation proves to be wrong and is found that the bhikkhuni had been angry. This bhikkhuni falls with the first offence and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

Precept for giving up the training.

10. A bhikkhuni angry and displeased says, `I withdraw, from enlightening myself, from the Teaching, from the Community and from the training. I'm far behind the daughters of the Sakyas. There are other bhikkhunis, bashful and scrupulous of the training, I will lead the holy life under them.' That bhikkhuni should be advised by the other bhikkhunis thus: `Noble lady, angry and displeased, do not say, I withdraw, from enlightening myself, from the Teaching, from the Community and from the training. I'm far behind the daughters of the Sakyas. There are other bhikkhunis, bashful and scrupulous of the training, I will lead the holy life under them. The Teaching is well proclaimed, live, the holy life, delight in it and make an end of unpleasantness rightfully.' If she holds on to this view when advised, she should be advised up to the third time. It's good if she gives it up, if not she falls with an offence for not heeding admonition repeatedly up to the third time and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

Precept for being angry about a lawful decision

11. If a bhikkhuni angry and displeased over a lawful decision were to say: `The bhikkhunis are led by interest, anger, delusion and fear.' That bhikkhuni should be admonished by the bhikkhunis: `Noble lady, angry and displeased, over a lawful decision do not say the bhikkhunis are led by interest, anger, delusion and fear. Noble lady, you may be led by interest, anger, delusion and fear.' The bhikkhunis should admonish her up to the third time to give up that view. Good, if she gives it up, if not she falls with an offence for not heeding admonition repeatedly up to the third time and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

The first precept for evil behavior.

12. If bhikkhunis practice wrong behavior, wrong faith, wrong virtues, worry the Community of bhikkhunis hiding each other's faults. The bhikkhunis should admonish them: `Sisters, you practice wrong behavior, wrong faith, wrong virtues, worry the Community of bhikkhunis hiding each other's faults.

Noble ladies, the Community praises openness.' If they persistently practice wrong behavior, they should be admonished up to the third time. If they give up their wrong behavior that's good, if not they fall with an offence for not heeding admonition repeatedly up to the third time and becomes helpless with a serious offence. .

Second precept for evil behavior.

13.If a bhikkhuni says: `Noble ladies, live withdrawn, yet do not live in various ways. There are other bhikkhunis in this Community with this behavior, this faith, these virtues, worrying the Community of bhikkhunis hiding each others' faults. The Community of bhikkhunis said nothing to them. Not liking you, gossiping about you and because you are weak, they say: `Sisters, you practice wrong behavior, wrong faith, wrong virtues, worry the Community of bhikkhunis hiding each others' faults. Noble ladies, the Community praises openness.' That bhikkhuni should be admonished thus: 'Noble lady, do not say: `Noble ladies, live withdrawn, yet do not live in various ways. There are other bhikkhunis in this Community with this behavior, this faith, these virtues, worrying the Community of bhikkhunis hiding each others faults. The Community of bhikkhunis said nothing to them. Not liking you, gossiping about you and because you are weak, they say: `Sisters, you practice wrong behavior, wrong faith, wrong virtues, worry the Community of bhikkhunis hiding each others' faults. Noble ladies, the Community praises openness.' If she persistently behaves in this manner, she should be admonished up to the third time. It's good if she gives up that behavior, if not she falls with an offence for not heeding admonition repeatedly, up to the third time and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

Precept for causing schism in the Community.

14. A bhikkhuni that causes a split in the Community that is in concord, or one persisting with a litigation that needs settlement with a split, should be admonished by the bhikkhunis: `Noble lady, do not cause a schism in the Community that is in concord, do not persist with a litigation that needs settlement with a split. Noble lady, appreciate the concord in the Community. A united pleasant Community that recites a single recitation is good' If she persists in her endeavor she should be admonished up to the third time. Good if she gives it up, if not she falls with an offence for not heeding admonition repeatedly up to the third time and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

Precept for associating schemers

15. The same bhikkhuni is reckoned by one, or two, or three bhikkhunis saying: `Noble ladies, do not say anything to this bhikkhuni, she says the rightful thing according to the discipline. I too agree with her interests and liking. She knows what she says, I too agree with her words. The bhikkhunis should admonish these bhikkhunis: `Noble ladies, do not say so, this bhikkhuni does not say the rightful, according to the discipline. You should not give your vote for a schism in the Community. Noble ladies, live in concord with the Community. A united pleasant Community that recites a single recitation is good' If they persist in their endeavor, they should be admonished up to the third time. Good if they give it up, if not they fall with an offence for not heeding admonition repeatedly up to the third time and become helpless with a serious offence.

The precept of training for unruliness.

16. A bhikkhuni of unruly nature would not listen, when the bhikkhunis admonish her rightfully. She would say, `Noble ladies, do not admonish me on what is good or bad. I too will refrain from admonishing the noble ladies, on what is good or bad.' The bhikkhunis should admonish her: `Noble lady, do not be beyond admonition. Make yourself available for admonition and you too admonish the bhikkhunis rightfully. The gathering of the Blessed One grows by mutual admonition and rehabilitation of each other. Admonished thus if she is not amendable, should be admonished up to the third time. Good if she gives up her unruly nature, if not she falls with an offence for not heeding admonition repeatedly up to the third time and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

Precept for causing ill fame to a family.

17. A certain bhikkhuni lives dependent on a village or hamlet. She is seen and heard to be visiting a certain family. That family too sees and knows of her evil behavior. The bhikkhunis should admonish her: `Noble lady, you are heard and seen to be always visiting a certain family. That family too does not approve your evil behavior. Noble lady, leave this dwelling, it is for your good.' That bhikkhuni might retort: `The bhikkhunis are led by interest, by anger, by delusion and fear, on account of such an offence a certain one would be sent away and another would not be sent away.' The bhikkhunis should admonish that bhikkhuni: `Noble lady, do not say the bhikkhunis are led by interest, anger, delusion and fear. The noble lady is heard and seen to be visiting a certain family and that family does not approve your behavior. You should leave this dwelling, it's for your own good.' Admonished up to the third time if she gives up the wrong behavior, it's good, if not she falls with an offence for not heeding admonition repeatedly up to the third time and becomes helpless with a serious offence.

Noble ladies, the seventeen serious offences consisting of the nine primary offences and the eight offences for not heeding admonition given up to the third time are recited. A bhikkhuni fallen for one or the other of these offences has to beg pardon in the presence of both Communities. To cut down her conceit the bhikkhuni should be rehabilitated in a place where there is a Community of twenty bhikkhunis. If it happens that the number is less than twenty, she is not rehabilitated and those bhikkhunis are censurable. This is the proper course. Noble ladies, I ask how is your purity? For the second and for the third time I ask how is your purity? The noble ladies are pure, therefore they are silent, and I record it as such.

End of the Sanghadisesa Dhamma (offences that require major Community meeting of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis of more than twenty).