Kulamaccharinī

Theravāda Vinaya

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

Bhikkhunivibhaṅga

The Nuns’ Analysis

Pācittiyakaṇḍa

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

Ārāmavagga

The subchapter on monasteries

55. Kulamaccharinīsikkhāpada

Being stingy with families

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 aññatarā bhikkhunī sāvatthiyaṁ aññatarissā visikhāya piṇḍāya caramānā yena aññataraṁ kulaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

a certain nun there was walking for almsfood along a street. She then went to a certain family where she sat down on the prepared seat.

Atha kho te manussā taṁ bhikkhuniṁ bhojetvā etadavocuṁ—

The people there gave her a meal and said,

“aññāpi, ayye, bhikkhuniyo āgacchantū”ti.

“Venerable, other nuns may come too.”

Atha kho sā bhikkhunī—

Then that nun thought,

“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo nāgaccheyyun”ti, bhikkhuniyo upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca—

“What can I do so that other nuns don’t come?” And she went up to other nuns and said,

“amukasmiṁ, ayye, okāse vāḷā sunakhā caṇḍo balibaddo cikkhallo okāso.

“Venerables, in such-and-such a place there are malicious dogs, a fierce ox, and it’s muddy.

Mā kho tattha agamitthā”ti.

Don’t go there.”

Aññatarāpi bhikkhunī tassā visikhāya piṇḍāya caramānā yena taṁ kulaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

Another nun, too, went to that family while walking for almsfood along that street. She sat down on the prepared seat

Atha kho te manussā taṁ bhikkhuniṁ bhojetvā etadavocuṁ—

and the people there gave her a meal. They then asked her,

“kissa, ayye, bhikkhuniyo na āgacchantī”ti?

“Venerable, why don’t the nuns come here?”

Atha kho sā bhikkhunī tesaṁ manussānaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi.

And she told them what had happened.

Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

People complained and criticized her,

“kathañhi nāma bhikkhunī kulaṁ maccharāyissatī”ti …pe…

“How can a nun keep a family to herself?” …

“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī kulaṁ maccharāyatī”ti?

“Is it true, monks, that a nun acted like this?”

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

“It’s true, sir.”

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…

The Buddha rebuked her …

kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī kulaṁ maccharāyissati.

“How could a nun act like 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 kulamaccharinī assa, pācittiyan”ti.

‘If a nun keeps a family to herself, 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.

Kulaṁ nāma

A family:

cattāri kulāni— khattiyakulaṁ, brāhmaṇakulaṁ, vessakulaṁ, suddakulaṁ.

there are four kinds of families: the aristocratic family, the brahmin family, the merchant family, the worker family.

Maccharinī assāti

Keeps for herself:

“kathaṁ bhikkhuniyo nāgaccheyyun”ti bhikkhunīnaṁ santike kulassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, āpatti pācittiyassa.

if she thinks, “What can I do so that other nuns don’t come?” and she then speaks disparagingly about that family to the nuns, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Kulassa vā santike bhikkhunīnaṁ avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, āpatti pācittiyassa.

If she speaks disparagingly about that family to the nuns, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Non-offenses

Anāpatti—

There is no offense:

kulaṁ na maccharāyantī santaṁyeva ādīnavaṁ ācikkhati,

if she is not keeping a family to herself, but describes the drawbacks as they are;

ummattikāya,

if she is insane;

ādikammikāyāti.

if she is the first offender.

Pañcamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

The fifth training rule is finished.