Tiroraṭṭha

Theravāda Vinaya

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

Bhikkhunivibhaṅga

The Nuns’ Analysis

Pācittiyakaṇḍa

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

Tuvaṭṭavagga

The subchapter on lying down

38. Tiroraṭṭhasikkhāpada

Wandering outside the country

Origin story

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ caranti.

At that time the nuns went wandering without a group of travelers where it was considered risky and dangerous outside their own country.

Dhuttā dūsenti.

Scoundrels raped them.

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

The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,

“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ carissantī”ti …pe…

“How can nuns go wandering without a group of travelers where it’s considered risky and dangerous outside their own country?” …

“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ carantī”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 tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ carissanti.

“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 bhikkhunī tiroraṭṭhe sāsaṅkasammate sappaṭibhaye asatthikā cārikaṁ careyya, pācittiyan”ti.

‘If a nun goes wandering without a group of travelers where it is considered risky and dangerous outside her own country, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

Yā panāti

A:

yā yādisā …pe…

whoever …

bhikkhunīti

Nun:

…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti.

… 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.

Tiroraṭṭheti

Outside her own country:

yassa vijite viharati, taṁ ṭhapetvā aññassa raṭṭhe.

in any country apart from the one where she is living.

Sāsaṅkaṁ nāma

Risky:

tasmiṁ magge corānaṁ niviṭṭhokāso dissati, bhuttokāso dissati, ṭhitokāso dissati, nisinnokāso dissati, nipannokāso dissati.

a place has been seen along that road where criminals are camping, eating, standing, sitting, or lying down.

Sappaṭibhayaṁ nāma

Dangerous:

tasmiṁ magge corehi manussā hatā dissanti, viluttā dissanti, ākoṭitā dissanti.

criminals have been seen along that road, injuring, robbing, or beating people.

Asatthikā nāma

Without a group of travelers:

vinā satthena.

in the absence of a group of travelers.

Cārikaṁ careyyāti

Goes wandering:

kukkuṭasampāte gāme gāmantare gāmantare, āpatti pācittiyassa.

when the inhabited areas are a chicken’s flight apart, then for every next inhabited area she commits an offense entailing confession.

Agāmake araññe addhayojane addhayojane āpatti pācittiyassa.

When it is an uninhabited area, a wilderness, then for every six kilometers she commits an offense entailing confession.

Non-offenses

Anāpatti—

There is no offense:

satthena saha gacchati,

if she travels with a group;

kheme appaṭibhaye gacchati,

if she travels where it is safe and free from danger;

āpadāsu,

if there is an emergency;

ummattikāya,

if she is insane;

ādikammikāyāti.

if she is the first offender.

Aṭṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

The eighth training rule is finished.