Visiting places of pleasure (PLI-TV-BI-VB-PC41)

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Nuns’ Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

The subchapter on galleries

Visiting places of pleasure

Origin story

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

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

Many people visited the gallery,

as did the nuns from the group of six.

People complained and criticized them,

“How can nuns visit a gallery? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!”

The nuns heard the complaints of those people,

and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,

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

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

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them …

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

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

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

Final ruling

‘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

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.

A royal house:

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

A gallery:

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

A park:

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

A garden:

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

A lotus pond:

wherever one has been made for people to entertain and enjoy themselves.¹

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

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

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

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

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

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

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if she sees it while remaining in a monastery;

if she sees it while coming or going;

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

if there is an emergency;

if she is insane;

if she is the first offender.

The first training rule is finished.