Expulsion 5

Mūlasarvāstivāda bhikkhunī vinaya, fascicle 5.

Respectfully translated by the Tipiṭaka master Yìjìng.

The 5th training precept: Touching. The Mūlasarvāstivāda bhikkhunī vibhaṅga, T1443, is unique in its structure in that it includes both the rules shared with the bhikkhus, and the rules that are unique to bhikkhunīs, i.e. the “unshared rules”. This makes this text extremely long. I have opted not to translate the shared rules, since none of the other schools include them. As my translation project is mainly for the purpose of comparative study, the shared rules are outside the scope of what I’m interested in. I just wanted to mention that this is therefore not a complete translation of the Mūlasarvāstivāda bhikkhunī vibhaṅga.*

Origin Story

At Sāvatthī. The World-honored One hadn’t laid down the precept that bhikkhunīs may not live in the wilderness yet. As the World-honored One has said: “What should be done for the benefit of and out of compassion for my disciples, that I’ve all done now. You should pay attention in this way, and live in the wilderness, under a tree, in a remote, quiet place, on a cliff or in a cave in the mountains, on a heap of grass, out in the open, or in a forest. Abide in meditation, don’t be negligent, so you’d have regrets later. This is my instruction.” The bhikkhunīs all went into the wilderness to practise with a quiet and serene mind. Then Uppalavaṇṇā wasn’t free from desire and defilements yet. When she hadn’t gone forth yet, she was good-looking, and her appearance was attractive. Many people lusted after her, and for 500 gold coins, she had sex with men. Then there was a brahmin’s son, who saw Uppalavaṇṇā, and felt extreme defiled attachment. He told her: “I’d like to have sex with you.” Uppalavaṇṇā said: “Sir, if you’re looking for intimacy, please bring 500 gold coins.” He replied: “I don’t have money at the moment.” Uppalavaṇṇā said: “Please go and search for it, and then it’s suitable to come here.” He went and found employment. Then the venerable Mahāmoggallāna made Uppalavaṇṇā bhikkhunī abandon the bad ways, and set her on the path to nibbāna. She transcended the three worlds, became free from desire and defilements, realized the happiness of liberation, and became an arahant. She always went to the Dark Wood Andhavana* to abide in stillness and practise concentration, and to feel the happiness of liberation.

That brahmin’s son had been employed, and he had sought for and obtained 500 gold coins. He returned and asked for Uppalavaṇṇā. Hearing that she had gone forth, he took the 500 coins, went to the bhikkhunīs and asked: “Where is Uppalavaṇṇā bhikkhunī now?” The bhikkhunīs replied: “She’s in the Dark Wood.” The brahmin’s son went to the bhikkhunī, saw that she was staying under a tree in stillness, and then said: “I now brought the full sum of 500 gold coins, please have sex with me.” Uppalavaṇṇā said: “Brahmin’s son, I’ve abandoned these bad ways.” She also asked him: “What in my body do you like to see that arouses lust?” The brahmin’s son said: “I deeply love the noble one’s eyes.” Uppalavaṇṇa then took out her eyeball with supernormal powers, placed it into her palm, and said: “What do you love about this lump of meat?” When the brahmin’s son saw it, he got angry and said: “The bald renunciate has created a magical illusion.” He beat the bhikkhunī on the head with his fist, let her go, and left. She then informed the other bhikkhunīs of this matter. The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha said to the bhikkhunīs: “Just as birds and beasts all gather when a lump of meat has been thrown away at a crossroads, it’s the same for women. For this reason, the bhikkhunīs shouldn’t live in the wilderness.”

When the World-honored One had laid down the precept that bhikkhunīs aren’t allowed to live in the wilderness, the bhikkhunīs entered Sāvatthī and sat in meditation at the thoroughfares. They were harrassed by evil men and thieves. They informed the Buddha of this matter, and the Buddha said: “You should set up a bhikkhunī monastery.”

In the city, there was the householder Visākha, who had deep faith. He saw the bhikkhunīs and asked: “Noble ones, what do you need?” The bhikkhunīs explained the matter to him in detail, and when Visākha heard it, he said: “Noble ones, I have a spacious building as my residence. When I’ve turned it into a monastery, please live there, out of compassion for me.” The bhikkhunīs then went and stayed there. Every day, Visākha went to the bhikkhunīs to pay respects. Visākha was good-looking, and when Sundarīnandā bhikkhunī saw him, defiled attachment arose in her mind. Her body became sick, and she entered her room and lay down. Visākha got up early in the morning, circumambulated a Buddhist stupa, and then entered the monastery. He saw one bhikkhunī guarding the monastery, and the others had all gone on almsround. He then paid respect at her feet, and asked: “Noble one, where have the bhikkhunīs gone?” She replied: “They’ve all gone on almsround.” Visākha then wanted to leave the monastery, but Sundarīnandā bhikkhunī wailed loudly in her room. Visākha heard it and felt compassion. He went to the bhikkhunī guarding the monastery and said:

“Noble one, who was it that wailed loudly in the room?” She answered: “There’s a sick bhikkhunī in the room.” Having heard this, he entered the room, sincerely paid respect, and asked: “Noble one, what do you suffer from?” The bhikkhunī said: “My illness is hard to explain.” He replied: “Why don’t you get medical care?” The bhikkhunī said: “This can’t be treated.” Visākha said: “Noble one, might the medicine be hard to get?” The bhikkhunī said: “It’s not hard, but I can’t get what I want.” Visākha said: “Noble one, you’ve gone forth. Therefore, for your whole life, you should ask others for tonics and medicines, drinks and food, robes and bedding. As the World-honored One has said: ‘You should receive from attendants.’ Whatever the noble one needs, just let me prepare it. I’ll personally give it.” The bhikkhunī said: “Such sincere words. All the people who know the dhamma need to take you as their example.” When Visākha heard this, he felt twice as much respect, and praised her: “Sādhu! The bhikkhunīs truly have few wishes.” He paid respect at the bhikkhunī’s feet again, and spoke this verse:

“I’ve aroused pure faith

Towards the nobe one,

Even if she needed my own flesh,

I could also offer it.”

When Visākha had spoken this verse, the bhikkhunī blurted out these vulgar words: “Please do bad things with me.” He heard it, covered his ears, and said: “Noble one, don’t say such words to me.” The bhikkhunī said: “So much for your good intentions. You merely speak dramatic words.” Visākha then wanted to leave, but the bhikkhunī added: “If you don’t agree with me, then just come and stroke my head and my limbs.” He then stroked her head, and the bhikkhunī felt pleasure. Other bhikkhunīs entered and saw it. Visākha left ashamed and with his head hanging. Then for this reason, they told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha gathered the bhikkhunī sangha for this reason. Buddhas are always in the state of knowing, and intentionally ask. He said to Sundarīnandā bhikkhunī: “Did you really do this unbecoming act in this way?” She answered: “I really did.” The World-honored One criticized her: “What you did is against the rules of renunciates, conduct not to be practised, against the pure dhamma.” Having criticized her in all kinds of ways, he told the bhikkhunīs: “I see 10 benefits, as explained in detail, down to: “In the vinaya of my bhikkhunī disciples, I’ll lay down another training precept. You should recite it like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī with a defiled mind and a man with defiled mind have their bodies touch each other with the intention to feel pleasure, below the eyes The pātimokkha says: Below the armpits.* and above the knees, and if it’s a strong touch, in this way that bhikkhunī incurs a pārājika, and shouldn’t live in community.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” is as explained in detail above, down to “fully ordained in a formal act with a motion as fourth.” The explanation is found in pārājika 1. See text below.*

“A bhikkhunī” means a bhikkhunī with a defiled mind afflicted by lust.

“And a man with a defiled mind” means this man also has a lustful mind.

“Below the eyes and above the knees” means within the indicated area of the body.

“Their bodies touch each other with the intention to feel pleasure” means they feel pleasure from the touch.

“And if it’s a strong touch” means a firm touch here. She then incurs the pārājika offense.

Herein, what are the factors for committing this offense?

If a bhikkhunī with a defiled mind and a man with a defiled mind have their bodies touch each other below the eyes and above the knees, with a strong touch, a firm touch, she incurs a pārājika offense. If a bhikkhunī with a defiled mind and a man with an undefiled mind have their bodies touch each other, she incurs a thullaccaya. If a bhikkhunī has an undefiled mind and a man, whether he has a defiled or undefiled mind, touches the bhikkhunī, her mind is restrained and there’s no offense. If a bhikkhunī is sick, and when a man touches her body, a defiled mindstate arises in her, she incurs a dukkaṭa offense. If her mind is undefiled, there’s no offense. Also if she’s afflicted with illness, there’s no offense.

Recite the summary verse:

Both have defiled minds

Below the eyes down to the knees,

If they touch each other,

It fulfills the pārājika offense.

If the bhikkhunī has a defiled mind,

But the man has no sexual intentions,

And they touch each other,

The bhikkhunī incurs a thullaccaya.

Both have no defiled intentions,

Or the man has a defiled mind,

Even if they touch each other,

Since her mind is protected, there’s no offense.

The bhikkhunī is sick,

And a man touches her body,

If a defiled mind arises in her,

She should confess a dukkaṭa offense.

****

From Pārājika 1: The definition of a bhikkhunī Pārājika 1 is outside the scope of my translation project, since I only translate the bhikkhunī-specific (i.e. the unshared) rules. But since the definition is found in the unshared rules of other schools, I include it here for the purpose of comparative studies.*

“A bhikkhunī” means: There are these five kinds: 1) A bhikkhunī by name. 2) A self-declared bhikkhunī. 3) A bhikkhunī through begging. 4) A bhikkhunī through destroying the defilements. 5) A bhikkhunī through a formal act with a motion as fourth.

“A bhikkhunī by name” means people have given her the name “bhikkhunī”, either by being widely acknowledged in the world, or by that bhikkhunī’s family calling her “bhikkhunī”. This is called “a bhikkhunī by name”.

What is a self-declared bhikkhunī? If people are unsure whether or not she’s a bhikkhunī, she herself says “I’m a bhikkhunī”, or she’s living in community by theft and claims to be a bhikkhunī. This is what is meant by self-declared bhikkhunī.

What is a bhikkhunī though begging? Like a lay person always sustaining her life through begging. This is called a bhikkhunī through begging.

What is a bhikkhunī through destroying the defilements? If she’s able to cut off the taints, completely burns off the ripening of suffering, fully understands future birth and death, forever pulls out the roots, as when cutting off the crown of a palm tree, and realizes the unborn state, this is called a bhikkhunī through destroying the defilements.

What is a fully ordained bhikkhunī through a formal act with a motion as fourth? Her body is free from the obstacles, and they carried out a complete procedure that shouldn’t be criticized. This is called a bhikkhunī through a formal act.

Among these definitions for a bhikkhunī just mentioned, the meaning to be applied is the fifth.