Cursing (PLI-TV-BI-VB-PC19)

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Nuns’ Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

The subchapter on the dark of the night

Cursing

Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,

some nuns were unable to find their possessions. They said to the nun Caṇḍakāḷī,

“Venerable, have you seen our things?”

Caṇḍakāḷī complained and criticized them,

“Why are you asking me if I’ve seen your things? Am I a thief? Am I shameless?

Venerables, if I took your things I wouldn’t be a monastic anymore. I would fall from the spiritual life and be reborn in hell.

May anyone who speaks such an untruth about me depart from monasticism, fall from the spiritual life, and be reborn in hell!”

The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,

“How could Venerable Caṇḍakāḷī curse herself and others, referring to hell and the spiritual life?” …

“Is it true, monks, that the nun Caṇḍakāḷī did this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked her …

“How could the nun Caṇḍakāḷī act like this?

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

Final ruling

‘If a nun curses herself or someone else, referring to hell or the spiritual life, 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.

Herself:

oneself.

Someone else:

one who is fully ordained.

If she curses, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If the other person is fully ordained, and she perceives them as such, and she curses them, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession.

If the other person is fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, yet she curses them, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession.

If the other person is fully ordained, but she does not perceive them as such, yet she curses them, referring to hell or the spiritual life, she commits an offense entailing confession.

If she curses, referring to the animal realm, the ghost realm, or human misfortune, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If she curses 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 aiming at something beneficial;

if she is aiming at giving a teaching;

if she is aiming at giving an instruction;

if she is insane;

if she is the first offender.

The ninth training rule is finished.