Nuns’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 15 (PLI-TV-BI-VB-PC15)

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain nun frequented a certain family as a regular diner. Then that nun, having dressed in the morning, taking her bowl and robe, approached that family; having approached, having sat down on a seat, she departed without asking the owner (for permission). The family’s slave-woman, while sweeping the house, placed that seat inside a dish. The people, not seeing that seat, spoke thus to that nun: “Lady, where is that seat?”

“I, sirs, did not see that seat.”

Saying, “Lady, give back that seat,” having scolded her, they stopped (her as) a regular diner. Then these people, searching the house, having seen that seat inside the dish, having apologised to that nun, (re-) established her as a regular diner. Then that nun told this matter to the nuns. Those who were modest nuns … spread it about, saying:

“How can this nun, having approached families before a meal, having sat down on a seat, depart without asking the owner (for permission)?” …

“Is it true, as is said, monks, that a nun … the owner (for permission)?”

“It is true, lord.”

The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked them, saying:

“How, monks, can a nun … depart without asking the owner (for permission)? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … this rule of training:

“Whatever nun, having approached families before a meal, having sat down on a seat, should depart without asking the owner (for permission), there is an offence of expiation.”

Whatever means: … nun is to be understood in this case.

Before a meal means: from sunrise until midday.

Family means: there are four (kinds of) families: a noble family, a brahmin family, a merchant family, a low-caste family.

Having approached means: having gone there.

A seat means: it is called a place for sitting cross-legged.

Having sat down means: having sat down on this.

Should depart without asking the owner (for permission) means: whatever man in that family is learned, without asking him (for permission but) in letting herself pass a place that is sheltered from the rain, there is an offence of expiation.

If she thinks that she has not asked (for permission) when she has not asked (for permission) and departs, there is an offence of expiation. If she is in doubt as to whether she has not asked (for permission) … If she thinks that she has asked (for permission) when she has not asked (for permission) … there is an offence of expiation. If it is not for a place for sitting cross-legged, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If she thinks that she has not asked (for permission) when she has asked (for permission), there is an offence of wrong-doing. If she is in doubt as to whether she has asked (for permission), there is an offence of wrong-doing. If she thinks that she has asked (for permission) when she has asked (for permission), there is no offence.

There is no offence if she goes away asking (for permission); if it is one that is not movable; if she is ill; if there are accidents; if she is mad, if she is the first wrong-doer.

The Book of the Discipline was translated by I.B. Horner.

Digital edition prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato

A complete digital edition can be downloaded here.

Published in 2014 by SuttaCentral.

Originally published by the Pali Text Society in the following years:

Vol. 1: 1938

Vol. 2: 1940

Vol. 3: 1942

Vol. 4: 1951

Vol. 5: 1950

Vol. 6: 1966

In May 2013, these volumes were kindly released by the Pali Text Society under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 licence (CC BY-NC 3.0). The current digital edition, including all revisions, corrections, additions, and modifications, is released under the same terms, which are as follows.

You are free to:

Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.

Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material.

The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.

Under the following terms:

Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.

NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.

No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.