Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Nuns’ Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

The subchapter on lying down

The training rule on lying down on the same bed

Origin story

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

two nuns were lying down on the same bed.

When people walking about the dwellings saw this, they complained and criticized them,

“How can two nuns lie down on the same bed? 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 can nuns do this?” …

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

“It’s true, Sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them …

“How can nuns do this?

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

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

Final ruling

‘If two nuns lie down on the same bed, they commit an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

Two:

whoever …

Nuns:

fully ordained is what is meant.

If two lie down on the same bed:

if, when one is lying down, the other lies down, they commit an offense entailing confession.

If both lie down together, they commit an offense entailing confession.

Every time they get up and then lie down again, they commit an offense entailing confession.

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if, when one is lying down, the other sits down;

if both sit down together;

if they are insane;

if they are the first offenders.

The first training rule is finished.