Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga: Pācittiya 40

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Nuns’ Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

The subchapter on lying down

Not wandering after the rainy season

Origin story

1 At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary. At that time the nuns were staying right there at Rājagaha for the rainy season, the winter, and the summer. People complained and criticized them, “The nuns are leaving the districts in darkness and obscurity. They don’t brighten them up by their presence.”

The nuns heard the complaints of those people. They then told the monks, who in turn told the Buddha. Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Well then, monks, I will lay down a training rule for the nuns for the following ten reasons: for the well-being of the Sangha … for the longevity of the true Teaching, and for supporting the training. And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

Final ruling

‘If a nun who has completed the rainy-season residence does not go wandering at least 65 to 80 kilometers, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

2 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.

Who has completed the rainy-season residence:

who has completed the first three or the last three months of the rainy-season residence.

If she thinks, “I won’t go wandering, not even 65 to 80 kilometers,” then by the mere fact of abandoning her duty, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if there is an obstacle; if she searches for a companion nun, but is unable to find one; if she is sick; if there is an emergency; if she is insane; if she is the first offender.

The tenth training rule is finished.

The fourth subchapter on lying down is finished.