Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Nuns’ Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

The subchapter on garlic

The training rule on attending on

Origin story

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

a government official called Ārohanta became a monk

and his ex-wife a nun.

On one occasion that monk was having his meal in the presence of that nun.

While he was eating, she attended on him with drinking water and a fan, and she flirted with him.

But he dismissed her, saying,

“Don’t do that;

it’s not allowable.”

“Before you did such and such to me, but now you can’t even take this much.”

And she dropped the water vessel on its head and struck him with the fan.

The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,

“How could a nun hit a monk?” …

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

“It’s true, Sir.”

The Buddha rebuked her,

“How could a nun hit a monk?

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

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

Final ruling

‘If, when a monk is eating, a nun attends on him with drinking water or a fan, 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 monk:

fully ordained.

Is eating:

is eating any of the five cooked foods.

Drinking water:

any kind of drink.

A fan:

any kind of fan.

Attends on:

if she stands within arm’s reach, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If he is fully ordained, and she perceives him as such, and she attends on him with drinking water or a fan, she commits an offense entailing confession.

If he is fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, and she attends on him with drinking water or a fan, she commits an offense entailing confession.

If he is fully ordained, but she does not perceive him as such, and she attends on him with drinking water or a fan, she commits an offense entailing confession.

If she attends on him from beyond arm’s reach, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If she attends on him when he is eating fresh food, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If she attends on one who is not fully ordained, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If he is not fully ordained, but she perceives him as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If he is not fully ordained, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If he is not fully ordained, and she does not perceive him as such, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if she gives something;

if she has someone else give something;

if she asks someone who is not fully ordained to do it;

if she is insane;

if she is the first offender.

The sixth training rule is finished.