Rājāgāra

Theravāda Vinaya

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

Bhikkhunivibhaṅga

The Nuns’ Analysis

Pācittiyakaṇḍa

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

Cittāgāravagga

The subchapter on galleries

41. Rājāgārasikkhāpada

Visiting places of pleasure

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 rañño pasenadissa kosalassa uyyāne cittāgāre paṭibhānacittaṁ kataṁ hoti.

artwork had been installed in the gallery in King Pasenadi of Kosala’s park.

Bahū manussā cittāgāraṁ dassanāya gacchanti.

Many people visited the gallery,

Chabbaggiyāpi bhikkhuniyo cittāgāraṁ dassanāya agamaṁsu.

as did the nuns from the group of six.

Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

People complained and criticized them,

“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo cittāgāraṁ dassanāya gacchissanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti.

“How can nuns visit a gallery? 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 chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo cittāgāraṁ dassanāya gacchissantī”ti …pe…

“How could the nuns from the group of six do this?” …

“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo cittāgāraṁ dassanāya gacchantī”ti?

“Is it true, monks, that those nuns did this?”

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

“It’s true, sir.”

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…

The Buddha rebuked them …

kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo cittāgāraṁ dassanāya gacchissanti.

“How could the nuns from the group of six 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 rājāgāraṁ vā cittāgāraṁ vā ārāmaṁ vā uyyānaṁ vā pokkharaṇiṁ vā dassanāya gaccheyya, pācittiyan”ti.

‘If a nun visits a royal house or a gallery or a park or a garden or a lotus pond, 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.

Rājāgāraṁ nāma

A royal house:

yattha katthaci rañño kīḷituṁ ramituṁ kataṁ hoti.

wherever one has been built for a king to entertain and enjoy himself.

Cittāgāraṁ nāma

A gallery:

yattha katthaci manussānaṁ kīḷituṁ ramituṁ kataṁ hoti.

wherever one has been built for people to entertain and enjoy themselves.

Ārāmo nāma

A park:

yattha katthaci manussānaṁ kīḷituṁ ramituṁ kato hoti.

wherever one has been made for people to entertain and enjoy themselves.

Uyyānaṁ nāma

A garden:

yattha katthaci manussānaṁ kīḷituṁ ramituṁ kataṁ hoti.

wherever one has been made for people to entertain and enjoy themselves.

Pokkharaṇī nāma

A lotus pond:

yattha katthaci manussānaṁ kīḷituṁ ramituṁ katā hoti.

wherever one has been made for people to entertain and enjoy themselves.

Dassanāya gacchati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If she is on her way to visit them, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Yattha ṭhitā passati, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Wherever she stands to see them, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Dassanūpacāraṁ vijahitvā punappunaṁ passati, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Every time she goes beyond the range of sight and then sees them again, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Ekamekaṁ dassanāya gacchati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If she is on her way to visit any one of them, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Yattha ṭhitā passati, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Wherever she stands to see it, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Dassanūpacāraṁ vijahitvā punappunaṁ passati, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Every time she goes beyond the range of sight and then sees it again, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Non-offenses

Anāpatti—

There is no offense:

ārāme ṭhitā passati,

if she sees it while remaining in a monastery;

gacchantī vā āgacchantī vā passati,

if she sees it while coming or going;

sati karaṇīye gantvā passati,

if she goes when there is something to be done and then sees it;

āpadāsu,

if there is an emergency;

ummattikāya,

if she is insane;

ādikammikāyāti.

if she is the first offender.

Paṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

The first training rule is finished.