Spending the rainy season apart from monks (PLI-TV-BI-VB-PC56)

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Nuns’ Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

The subchapter on monasteries

Spending the rainy season apart from monks

Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.

At that time a number of nuns who had completed the rainy-season residence in a village monastery went to Sāvatthī.

The nuns there asked them,

“Venerables, where did you spend the rains residence?

We hope the instruction was effective?”

“There were no monks there.

So how could the instruction be effective?”

The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,

“How could nuns spend the rains residence in a monastery without monks?” …

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

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them …

“How could nuns do this?

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

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

Final ruling

‘If a nun spends the rainy-season residence in a monastery without monks, 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 monastery without monks:

she is not able to go to the instruction or to a formal meeting of the community.¹

If she thinks, “I’ll stay here for the rainy-season residence,” and she prepares a dwelling, sets out water for drinking and water for washing, and sweeps the yard, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.²

At dawn, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if the monks who entered the rainy-season residence there depart or disrobe or die or join another religion or sect;³

if there is an emergency;

if she is insane;

if she is the first offender.

The sixth training rule is finished.