Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Great Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

The subchapter on the instruction

21. The training rule on the instruction

Origin story

First sub-story

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

At that time the senior monks who were instructing the nuns received robe-cloth, almsfood, dwellings, and medicinal supplies.

When the monks from the group of six found out about this,

they thought, “Well then, let’s instruct the nuns.”

They then went to the nuns and said, “Come to us, Sisters, and we too will instruct you.”

Soon afterwards those nuns went to the monks from the group of six,

bowed, and sat down.

But after giving just a short teaching, those monks spent the day on worldly talk. They then dismissed the nuns, saying, “Go, Sisters.”

The nuns went to the Buddha and bowed, and the Buddha said to them, “Nuns, I hope the instruction was effective?”

“Sir, how could the instruction be effective?

After giving just a short teaching, the monks from the group of six spent the day on worldly talk, and then dismissed us.”

The Buddha instructed, inspired, and gladdened those nuns with a teaching.

The nuns bowed, circumambulated the Buddha with their right sides toward him, and left.

Soon afterwards the Buddha had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks from the group of six:

“Is it true, monks, that you acted like this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them …

“Foolish men, how could you act like this?

This will affect people’s confidence …”

After rebuking them …

he gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

“Monks, you should appoint an instructor of the nuns.

And this is how he should be appointed.

First a monk should be asked

and then a competent and capable monk should inform the Sangha:

‘Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen.

If the Sangha is ready, it should appoint monk so-and-so as an instructor of the nuns.

This is the motion.

Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen.

The Sangha appoints monk so-and-so as an instructor of the nuns.

Any monk who approves of appointing monk so-and-so as an instructor of the nuns should remain silent.

Any monk who doesn’t approve should speak up.

For the second time, I speak on this matter. …

For the third time, I speak on this matter.

Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen.

The Sangha appoints monk so-and-so as an instructor of the nuns.

Any monk who approves of appointing monk so-and-so as an instructor of the nuns should remain silent.

Any monk who doesn’t approve should speak up.

The Sangha has appointed monk so-and-so as an instructor of the nuns.

The Sangha approves and is therefore silent. I’ll remember it thus.’”

Then, after rebuking the monks from the group of six in many ways, the Buddha spoke in dispraise of being difficult to support …

“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

‘If a monk who has not been appointed instructs the nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Second sub-story

After being appointed to do so, the senior monks who instructed the nuns still received robe-cloth, almsfood, dwellings, and medicinal supplies.

When they found out about this, the monks from the group of six said,

“Well then, let’s go outside the monastery zone, appoint each other as instructors of the nuns, and then instruct them.”

After doing just that, they again went to the nuns and said, “Sisters, we too have been appointed.

Come to us, and we will instruct you.”

Once again the nuns went to the monks from the group of six and everything unfolded as before.

The Buddha then had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks from the group of six:

“Is it true, monks, that you acted like this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them …

“Foolish men, how could you act like this?

This will affect people’s confidence …”

After rebuking them …

he gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

“Monks, you may appoint a monk who possesses eight qualities as an instructor of the nuns:

He is virtuous and restrained by the Monastic Code. His conduct is good, he associates with the right people, and he sees danger in minor faults. He undertakes and trains in the training rules.

He has learned much, and he retains and accumulates what he has learned. Those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, that have a true goal and are well articulated, and that set out the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life—he has learned many such teachings, retained them in mind, recited them verbally, mentally investigated them, and penetrated them well by view.

He has properly learned both Monastic Codes in detail. He has analyzed them well, thoroughly mastered them, and investigated them well, both in terms of the rules and their detailed exposition.

He is well-spoken and has a good voice.

He is generally liked by and pleasing to the nuns.

He is capable of instructing the nuns.

He has never committed a heavy offense against a Buddhist nun.

He has been fully ordained for at least twenty years.

Monks, you may appoint a monk who possesses these eight qualities as an instructor of the nuns.”

Definitions

A:

whoever …

Monk:

… The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case.

Who has not been appointed:

who has not been appointed through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements.

Nuns:

they have been given the full ordination by both Sanghas.

Instructs:

if he instructs in the eight important principles, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If he instructs in any other teaching, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If he instructs a nun who is fully ordained only on one side, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

The monk who has been appointed should sweep the yard, set out water for drinking and water for washing, prepare a seat, get hold of a companion, and then sit down.

The nuns should go there, bow down to the monk, and sit down.

The monk should then ask them,

“Are you all here, Sisters?”

If they say, “We’re all here, venerable,” he should say, “Are you keeping the eight important principles?”

If they say, “We are,” he should say, “This is the instruction.”

If they say, “We’re not,” he should recite the important principles:

“A nun who has been fully ordained for a hundred years should bow down to a monk who was given the full ordination on that very day, and she should stand up for him, raise her joined palms to him, and do acts of respect toward him.

This principle is to be honored and respected all one’s life, and is not to be breached.

A nun shouldn’t spend the rainy-season residence in a monastery without monks.

This principle too is to be honored and respected all one’s life, and is not to be breached.

Every half-month a nun should seek two things from the Sangha of monks:

asking it about the observance day and going to it for the instruction.

This principle too is to be honored and respected all one’s life, and is not to be breached.

A nun who has completed the rainy-season residence should invite correction from both Sanghas in regard to three things:

what has been seen, heard, or suspected.

This principle too is to be honored and respected all one’s life, and is not to be breached.

A nun who has committed a heavy offense must undertake a trial period for a half-month toward both Sanghas.

This principle too is to be honored and respected all one’s life, and is not to be breached.

A trainee nun who has trained for two years in the six rules may seek for full ordination in both Sanghas.

This principle too is to be honored and respected all one’s life, and is not to be breached.

A nun may not in any way abuse or revile a monk.

This principle too is to be honored and respected all one’s life, and is not to be breached.

From today onwards, nuns may not correct monks, but monks may correct nuns.

This principle too is to be honored and respected all one’s life, and is not to be breached.”

If they say, “We’re all here, venerable,” and he instructs them with another teaching, then he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If they say, “We’re not all here, venerable,” and he instructs them in the eight important principles, then he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If he does not give the instruction, but he gives them another teaching, then he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Permutations

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure and he perceives it as such, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete and he perceives it as such, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure and he perceives it as such, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete but he is unsure of it, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure and he perceives it as such, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete but he perceives it as complete, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure but he is unsure of it, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete and he perceives it as such, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure but he is unsure of it, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete but he is unsure of it, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure but he is unsure of it, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete but he perceives it as complete, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure but he perceives it as legitimate, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete and he perceives it as such, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure but he perceives it as legitimate, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete but he is unsure of it, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure but he perceives it as legitimate, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete but he perceives it as complete, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure and he perceives it as such, and the Sangha of nuns is complete but he perceives it as incomplete, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure and he perceives it as such, and the Sangha of nuns is complete but he is unsure of it, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure and he perceives it as such, and the Sangha of nuns is complete and he perceives it as such, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure but he is unsure of it, and the Sangha of nuns is complete but he perceives it as incomplete, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure but he is unsure of it, and the Sangha of nuns is complete but he is unsure of it, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure but he is unsure of it, and the Sangha of nuns is complete and he perceives it as such, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure but he perceives it as legitimate, and the Sangha of nuns is complete but he perceives it as incomplete, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure but he perceives it as legitimate, and the Sangha of nuns is complete but he is unsure of it, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure but he perceives it as legitimate, and the Sangha of nuns is complete and he perceives it as such, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure but he perceives it as illegitimate, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete and he perceives it as such, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure but he perceives it as illegitimate, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete but he is unsure of it, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure but he perceives it as illegitimate, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete but he perceives it as complete, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure but he is unsure of it, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete and he perceives it as such, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure but he is unsure of it, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete but he is unsure of it, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure but he is unsure of it, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete but he perceives it as complete, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure and he perceives it as such, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete and he perceives it as such, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure and he perceives it as such, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete but he is unsure of it, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure and he perceives it as such, and the Sangha of nuns is incomplete but he perceives it as complete, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure but he perceives it as illegitimate, and the Sangha of nuns is complete but he perceives it as incomplete, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure but he perceives it as illegitimate, and the Sangha of nuns is complete but he is unsure of it, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure but he perceives it as illegitimate, and the Sangha of nuns is complete and he perceives it as such, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure but he is unsure of it, and the Sangha of nuns is complete but he perceives it as incomplete, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure but he is unsure of it, and the Sangha of nuns is complete but he is unsure of it, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure but he is unsure of it, and the Sangha of nuns is complete and he perceives it as such, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure and he perceives it as such, and the Sangha of nuns is complete but he perceives it as incomplete, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure and he perceives it as such, and the Sangha of nuns is complete but he is unsure of it, then if he instructs those nuns, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is a legitimate legal procedure and he perceives it as such, and the Sangha of nuns is complete and he perceives it as such, then if he instructs those nuns, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if he recites;

if he tests them;

if he recites when asked to do so;

if he asks a question;

if he replies when asked a question;

if he is speaking for the benefit of someone else and the nuns listen in;

if it is to a trainee nun;

if it is to a novice nun;

if he is insane;

if he is the first offender.

The training rule on the instruction, the first, is finished.