Monks’ Confession (Pāṭidesaniya) 2 (PLI-TV-BU-VB-PD2)

… at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove at the squirrel’s feeding-place. Now at that time monks ate, invited by families. The group of six nuns came to be standing, giving directions for the group of six monks, saying: “Here give curry, give cooked rice here.” The group of six monks ate as much as they pleased, other monks did not eat as much as expected. Those who were modest monks … spread it about, saying:

“How can this group of six monks, when the nuns are giving directions, not restrain (them)?” …

“Is it true, as is said, that you, monks, when nuns were giving directions, did not restrain (them)?”

“It is true, lord.”

The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked them, saying: “How can you, foolish men … not restrain (them)? It is not, foolish men, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth:

“Now, monks eat, invited by families. If a nun comes to be standing as though giving directions, saying: ‘Here give curry, give cooked rice here,’ that nun should be rebuked by those monks, saying: ‘Stand aside, sister, while the monks eat.’ But if it should not occur to a single monk to dismiss that nun, saying: ‘Stand aside, sister, while the monks eat,’ it should be confessed by those monks, saying: ‘We have fallen, your reverences, into a blameworthy matter, unbecoming, which ought to be confessed; we confess it.’”

Now monks eat, invited by families means: a family means there are four (kinds of) family: noble family, brahmin family, merchant family, low-class family.

Eat, invited, means: they eat, invited to any one meal of the five (kinds of) meals.

Nun means: one ordained by both Orders.

Giving directions means: if according to friendship, according to comradeship, according to intimacy, according as one has the same preceptor, according as one has the same teacher, she says: ‘Here give curry, give cooked rice here,’ this means giving directions.

By those monks means: by the monks who are eating.

That nun means: the nun who is giving directions.

That nun should be dismissed by those monks, saying: ‘Stand aside, sister, while the monks eat.’ But if she is not dismissed by a single monk (and) he accepts (food), saying: ‘I will eat, I will partake of,’ there is an offence of wrong-doing. For every mouthful there is an offence which ought to be confessed.

If he thinks that she is ordained when she is ordained (and) does not restrain her when she is giving directions, there is an offence which ought to be confessed. If he is in doubt as to whether she is ordained … If he thinks that she is not ordained when she is ordained … offence which ought to be confessed. If he does not restrain one ordained by one (Order only) who is giving directions, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he thinks that she is ordained when she is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he is in doubt as to whether she is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he thinks that she is not ordained when she is not ordained, there is no offence.

There is no offence if she makes (another) give her own meal, (but) does not (herself) give; if she gives a meal to others (but) does not make (them) give; if she makes (another) give what was not given; if she makes (another) give where it was not given; if she makes (another) give the same to everybody; if a female probationer gives directions; if a female novice gives directions; setting aside the five (kinds of) meals, there is no offence in (eating) any others; if he is mad, if he is the first wrong-doer.

The Second

The Book of the Discipline was translated by I.B. Horner.

Digital edition prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato

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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

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