Nuns’ Formal Meeting (Saṅghādisesa) 12 (PLI-TV-BI-VB-SS12)

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time nuns who were pupils of the nun Thullanandā lived in company, they were of evil habits, of evil repute, of evil ways of living, vexing the Order of nuns, concealing one another’s sins. Those who were modest nuns … spread it about, saying: “How can these nuns live in company … concealing one another’s sins?” …

“Is it true, as is said, monks, that nuns live in company … concealing one another’s sins?”

“It is true, lord.”

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

“How, monks, can nuns live in company … concealing one another’s sins?

It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … let the nuns set forth this rule of training:

“In case nuns live in company, of evil habits, of evil repute, of evil ways of living, vexing the Order of nuns, concealing one another’s sins, those nuns should be spoken to thus by the nuns: ‘Sisters are living in company … concealing one another’s sins. Let the ladies desist; the Order praises this detachment in sisters.’ But if these nuns, being spoken to thus by the nuns, should persist as before, these nuns should be admonished by the nuns up to the third time for giving up that (course). If, being admonished up to the third time they should give it up, that is good. If they should not give it up, these nuns also have fallen into a matter that is an offence on the third (admonition), entailing a formal meeting of the Order involving being sent away.”

In case nuns means: they are called ordained.

Are living in company means: in company means that they are living in company unbecomingly in regard to body and speech.

Of evil habits means: they are possessed of depraved habits.

Of evil report means: they are notorious because of (their) bad reputation.

Of evil ways of living means: they lead life by means of an evil, wrong mode of livelihood.

Vexing the Order of nuns means: they protest when a (formal) act is being carried out against each other.

Concealing one another’s sins means: they reciprocally conceal a sin.

Those nuns means: those nuns who live in company.

By the nuns means: by other nuns who see, who hear; they should be told by these: “Sisters are living in company … detachment in sisters.” And a second time they should be told. And a third time they should be told … see Bi-Ss.10.2.1. Instead of Do not, ladies, angry, etc., read Sisters are living in company, etc.; instead of that nun … does not give up that course read those nuns … do not give up that course; instead of this nun so and so read these nuns so and so and so and so are living in company … they do not give up that course … the nuns so and so and so and so should be admonished … are admonished for giving up that course … If they are committing an offence entailing a formal meeting of the Order, the offence of wrong-doing according to the motion and the grave offences according to the two proclamations, subside.

Two or three should be admonished together. More than that should not be admonished together.

These nuns also means: they are so called in reference to the former.

Up to the third time means: they fall on the third admonition, not through transgression of a course.

Involving being sent away means: they are caused to be sent away from the Order,

Offence entailing a formal meeting of the Order means: … therefore again it is called an offence entailing a formal meeting of the Order.

If they think that it is a legally valid act when it is a legally valid act (and) do not give up … see Bi-Ss.10.2.2 … If they think that it is not a legally valid act when it is not a legally valid act, there is an offence of wrong-doing.

There is no offence if they are not admonished; if they give it up; if they are mad, if they are the first wrong-doers.

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.