Ekamañcatuvaṭṭana

Theravāda Vinaya

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

Bhikkhunivibhaṅga

The Nuns’ Analysis

Pācittiyakaṇḍa

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

Tuvaṭṭavagga

The subchapter on lying down

31. Ekamañcatuvaṭṭanasikkhāpada

Lying on the same bed

Origin story

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,

Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo dve ekamañce tuvaṭṭenti.

two nuns were lying down on the same bed.

Manussā vihāracārikaṁ āhiṇḍantā passitvā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

When people walking about the dwellings saw this, they complained and criticized them,

“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo dve ekamañce tuvaṭṭessanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti.

“How can two nuns lie down on the same bed? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!”

Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.

The nuns heard the complaints of those people,

Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,

“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo dve ekamañce tuvaṭṭessantī”ti …pe…

“How can nuns do this?” …

“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo dve ekamañce tuvaṭṭentī”ti?

“Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?”

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

“It’s true, sir.”

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…

The Buddha rebuked them …

kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo dve ekamañce tuvaṭṭessanti.

“How can nuns do this?

Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

Final ruling

“Yā pana bhikkhuniyo dve ekamañce tuvaṭṭeyyuṁ, pācittiyan”ti.

‘If two nuns lie down on the same bed, they commit an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

Yā panāti

Two:

yā yādisā …pe…

whoever …

bhikkhuniyoti

Nuns:

upasampannāyo vuccanti.

fully ordained is what is meant.

Dve ekamañce tuvaṭṭeyyunti

If two lie down on the same bed:

ekāya nipannāya aparā nipajjati, āpatti pācittiyassa.

if, when one is lying down, the other lies down, they commit an offense entailing confession.

Ubho vā nipajjanti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

If both lie down together, they commit an offense entailing confession.

Uṭṭhahitvā punappunaṁ nipajjanti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Every time they get up and then lie down again, they commit an offense entailing confession.

Non-offenses

Anāpatti—

There is no offense:

ekāya nipannāya aparā nisīdati,

if, when one is lying down, the other sits down;

ubho vā nisīdanti,

if both sit down together;

ummattikānaṁ,

if they are insane;

ādikammikānanti.

if they are the first offenders.

Paṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

The first training rule is finished.