Nuns’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 45 (PLI-TV-BI-VB-PC45)

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain nun, having approached the nun Thullanandā, spoke thus: “Do come, lady, and settle this legal question.” The nun Thullanandā, having answered, “Very good,” neither settled it nor made an effort to get it settled. Then that nun told this matter to the nuns. Those who were modest nuns … spread it about, saying: “How can the lady Thullanandā, being spoken to by a nun, saying: ‘Do come, lady, and settle this legal question,’ and having answered, ‘Very good,’ neither settle it nor make an effort to get it settled?” …

“Is it true, as is said, monks, that the nun Thullanandā … to get it settled?”

“It is true, lord.”

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

“How, monks, can the nun Thullanandā … nor make an effort to get it settled? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … this rule of training:

“Whatever nun, being spoken to by a nun, saying: ‘Do come, lady, and settle this legal question,’ and having answered: ‘Very good,’ (yet) if she is not afterwards prevented, should neither settle it nor should make an effort to get it settled, there is an offence of expiation.”

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

By a nun means: by another nun.

Legal question means: there are four (kinds of) legal questions: legal questions arising out of disputes, legal questions arising out of censure, legal questions arising out of transgressions, legal questions arising out of obligations.

Do come, lady, and settle this legal question means: Do come, lady, and decide this legal question.

If she is not afterwards prevented means: if there is not an obstacle.

Should neither settle it means: should not herself settle it.

Nor should make an effort to get it settled means: should not command another.

If she thinks, “I will neither settle it nor make an effort to get it settled,” in throwing off the responsibility, there is an offence of expiation.

If she thinks that she is ordained when she is ordained (and) neither settles a legal question nor makes an effort to get it settled, there is an offence of expiation. If she is in doubt as to whether she is ordained … If she thinks that she is not ordained when she is ordained … offence of expiation. If she neither settles a legal question nor makes an effort to get it settled for one who is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If she thinks that she is ordained when she is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If she is in doubt as to whether she is not ordained … If she thinks that she is not ordained when she is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing.

There is no offence if there is an obstacle; if having looked about, she does not get the chance; 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.