The training rule on complaining about others

The chapter on offenses entailing confession The subchapter on the dark of the night

The training rule on complaining about others

Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time a nun who was a pupil of Bhaddā Kāpilānī attended on her with care. Bhaddā Kāpilānī said to the nuns, “Venerables, this nun is attending on me with care. I’ll give her a robe.” Then, because of misunderstanding and a lack of proper reflection, that nun complained about Bhaddā Kāpilānī, “Venerables, if I didn’t attend on her with care, she wouldn’t give me a robe.”

The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, “How could a nun complain about someone else because of misunderstanding and a lack of proper reflection?” … “Is it true, monks, that a nun did this?”

“It’s true, Sir.”

The Buddha rebuked her … “How could a nun act in this way? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

Final ruling

‘If a nun complains about someone else because of misunderstanding and a lack of proper reflection, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

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. Because of misunderstanding: because of wrong understanding. Because of a lack of proper reflection: because of wrong reflection. Someone else: if she complains about one who is fully ordained, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If the other person is fully ordained, and she perceives them as such, and she complains about them, she commits an offense entailing confession. If the other person is fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, and she complains about them, she commits an offense entailing confession. If the other person is fully ordained, but she does not perceive them as such, and she complains about them, she commits an offense entailing confession.

If she complains about someone who is not fully ordained, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the other person is not fully ordained, but she perceives them as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the other person is not fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the other person is not fully ordained, and she does not perceive them as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if she is insane; if she is the first offender.

The eighth training rule is finished.

Pācittiyakaṇḍa Rattandhakāravagga

18. Paraujjhāpanakasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena bhaddāya kāpilāniyā antevāsinī bhikkhunī bhaddaṁ kāpilāniṁ sakkaccaṁ upaṭṭheti. Bhaddā kāpilānī bhikkhuniyo etadavoca— “ayaṁ maṁ, ayye, bhikkhunī sakkaccaṁ upaṭṭheti, imissāhaṁ cīvaraṁ dassāmī”ti. Atha kho sā bhikkhunī duggahitena dūpadhāritena paraṁ ujjhāpesi— “ahaṁ kirāyye, ayyaṁ na sakkaccaṁ upaṭṭhemi, na kira me ayyā cīvaraṁ dassatī”ti.

Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhunī duggahitena dūpadhāritena paraṁ ujjhāpessatī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī duggahitena dūpadhāritena paraṁ ujjhāpetī”ti?

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī duggahitena dūpadhāritena paraṁ ujjhāpessati. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

“Yā pana bhikkhunī duggahitena dūpadhāritena paraṁ ujjhāpeyya, pācittiyan”ti.

Yā panāti yā yādisā …pe… bhikkhunīti …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti. Duggahitenāti aññathā gahitena. Dūpadhāritenāti aññathā upadhāritena. Paranti upasampannaṁ ujjhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Upasampannāya upasampannasaññā ujjhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Upasampannāya vematikā ujjhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Upasampannāya anupasampannasaññā ujjhāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Anupasampannaṁ ujjhāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Anupasampannāya upasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Anupasampannāya vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Anupasampannāya anupasampannasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Anāpatti— ummattikāya, ādikammikāyāti.

Aṭṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.