Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Nuns’ Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

The subchapter on pleasure houses

The training rule on lodgings

Origin story

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

the nun Thullanandā went wandering without first relinquishing her lodging.

Soon afterwards her lodging caught fire.

Some nuns said,

“Come, Venerables, let’s remove her things.”

But others replied,

“No, let’s not.

She’ll just make us responsible for anything that gets lost.”

When Thullanandā returned to her lodging, she asked the nuns,

“Venerables, I hope you removed my things?”

“No, we didn’t.”

Thullanandā complained and criticized them,

“How could the nuns not remove the contents when a lodging is burning?”

But the nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,

“How could Venerable Thullanandā go wandering without relinquishing her lodging?” …

“Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā did this?”

“It’s true, Sir.”

The Buddha rebuked her …

“How could the nun Thullanandā do this?

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

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

Final ruling

‘If a nun goes wandering without relinquishing her lodging, 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.

Lodging:

one with a door is what is meant.

Goes wandering without relinquishing:

if she crosses the boundary of an enclosed lodging without first relinquishing it to a nun, a trainee nun, or a novice nun, she commits an offense entailing confession.

If she goes beyond the vicinity of an unenclosed lodging, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If it has not been relinquished, and she perceives that it has not, and she goes, she commits an offense entailing confession.

If it has not been relinquished, but she is unsure of it, and she goes, she commits an offense entailing confession.

If it has not been relinquished, but she perceives that it has, and she goes, she commits an offense entailing confession.

If she does not relinquish a lodging without a door, and then goes, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it has been relinquished, but she perceives that it has not, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it has been relinquished, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it has been relinquished, and she perceives that it has, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if she relinquishes it and then goes;

if there is an obstacle;

if she searches, but is unable to find anyone to relinquish it to;

if she is sick;

if there is an emergency;

if she is insane;

if she is the first offender.

The eighth training rule is finished.