Theravāda Vinayapiṭaka
Monks’ rules and their analysis
Monks’ Undetermined 1
Venerables, these two undetermined rules come up for recitation.
Origin story
At one time the Buddha, the Master, was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. At that time Venerable Udāyī associated with and visited a number of families in Sāvatthī. One of the families that supported him had given their daughter in marriage to the son of another family. Then, after dressing in the morning, Venerable Udāyī took his bowl and robe and went to the first of those families. When he arrived, he asked where the daughter was, and he was told that she had been given to another family. That family too supported Venerable Udāyī. He then went there and again asked where the girl was. They said, “She is sitting in her room, Venerable.” He then went to that girl, and the two of them sat down alone on a private and secluded seat suitable for doing it. There he spoke to her on the Dhamma, or they just chatted together if the situation allowed.
At that time Visākhā, the mother of Migāra, had many healthy children and grandchildren, and she was considered very auspicious. At sacrifices, festivals, and celebrations people would feed Visākhā first. Just then she had been invited to the family that supported Venerable Udāyī. When she arrived there, she saw him sitting alone with that girl, and she said to Venerable Udāyī: “Bhante, it’s not appropriate that you should sit alone with a woman on a private and secluded seat suitable for doing it. Although you may not be aiming at that activity, people with little confidence are hard to convince.” But Venerable Udāyī did not listen. After she had left, Visākhā informed the monks about what had happened. The monks of few desires … complained and criticised him: “How can Venerable Udāyī sit alone with a woman on a private and secluded seat suitable for doing it?”
After rebuking Venerable Udāyī in many ways, they informed the Master … “Is it true, Udāyī, that you sat alone with a woman on a private and secluded seat suitable for doing it?”
“It’s true, Master.”
The Buddha, the Master, rebuked him: “… Foolish man, how could you sit alone with a woman on a such a seat? This will not give rise to confidence in those without it … And, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:
Final ruling
“If a monk sits alone with a woman on a private and secluded seat suitable for doing it, and a trustworthy female lay disciple sees him and accuses him of an offence entailing expulsion or an offence entailing suspension or an offence entailing confession, then, if he admits to the sitting, he is to be dealt with according to one of these three or according to what that trustworthy female lay disciple has said. This rule is undetermined.”
Definitions
A: whoever … Monk: … The monk ordained by a complete Sangha through a procedure of one motion and three announcements, which is unchallengeable and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case.
Woman: a human female, not a female spirit, not a female ghost, not a female animal; even a girl born that very day, all the more an older one.
Alone: just the monk and the woman.
Private: there is private to the eye and there is private to the ear.
Private to the eye: one is unable to see them winking, raising an eyebrow, or nodding.
Private to the ear: one is unable to hear ordinary speech.
Secluded: the seat is hidden by a wall, a screen, a door, a screening cloth, a tree, a pillar, a grain container, or anything else.
Suitable for doing it: one is able to have sexual intercourse.
If (he) sits: the monk sits down or lies down next to a seated woman. A woman sits down or lies down next to the seated monk. Both are seated or both are lying down.
Trustworthy: she has attained the fruit, she has broken through, she has understood the teaching.
Female lay disciple: she has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha.
Accuses him of an offence entailing expulsion or an offence entailing suspension or an offence entailing confession, then, if he admits to the sitting, he is to be dealt with according to one of these three or according to what that trustworthy female lay disciple has said:
If she accuses him thus: “I have seen the Venerable seated, having sexual intercourse with a woman,” and he admits to that, then he is to be dealt with for the offence. If she accuses him thus: “I have seen the Venerable seated, having sexual intercourse with a woman,” but he says, “It is true that I was seated, but I did not have sexual intercourse,” then he is to be dealt with for the sitting. If she accuses him thus: “I have seen the Venerable seated, having sexual intercourse with a woman,” but he says, “I was not seated, but lying down,” then he is to be dealt with for the lying down. If she accuses him thus: “I have seen the Venerable seated, having sexual intercourse with a woman,” but he says, “I was not seated, but standing,” then he is not to be dealt with.
If she accuses him thus: “I have seen the Venerable lying down, having sexual intercourse with a woman,” and he admits to that, then he is to be dealt with for the offence. If she accuses him thus: “I have seen the Venerable lying down, having sexual intercourse with a woman,” but he says, “It is true that I was lying down, but I did not have sexual intercourse,” then he is to be dealt with for the lying down. If she accuses him thus: “I have seen the Venerable lying down, having sexual intercourse with a woman,” but he says, “I was not lying down, but seated,” then he is to be dealt with for the sitting. If she accuses him thus: “I have seen the Venerable lying down, having sexual intercourse with a woman,” but he says, “I was not lying down, but standing,” then he is not to be dealt with.
If she accuses him thus: “I have seen the Venerable seated, making physical contact with a woman,” and he admits to that, then he is to be dealt with for the offence. … “It is true that I was seated, but I did not make physical contact,” then he is to be dealt with for the sitting. … “I was not seated, but lying down,” then he is to be dealt with for the lying down. … “I was not seated, but standing,” then he is not to be dealt with.
If she accuses him thus: “I have seen the Venerable lying down, making physical contact with a woman,” and he admits to that, then he is to be dealt with for the offence. … “It is true that I was lying down, but I did not make physical contact,” then he is to be dealt with for the lying down. … “I was not lying down, but seated,” then he is to be dealt with for the sitting. … “I was not lying down, but standing,” then he is not to be dealt with.
If she accuses him thus: “I have seen the Venerable seated alone with a woman on a private and secluded seat suitable for doing it,” and he admits to that, then he is to be dealt with for the sitting. … “I was not seated, but lying down,” then he is to be dealt with for the lying down. … “I was not seated, but standing,” then he is not to be dealt with.
If she accuses him thus: “I have seen the Venerable lying down alone with a woman on a private and secluded seat suitable for doing it,” and he admits to that, then he is to be dealt with for the lying down. … “I was not lying down, but seated,” then he is to be dealt with for the sitting. … “I was not lying down, but standing,” then he is not to be dealt with.
Undetermined: not fixed: it is either an offence entailing expulsion or an offence entailing suspension or an offence entailing confession.
Permutations
If he admits to going, and he admits to sitting, and he admits to an offence, he is to be dealt with for the offence. If he admits to going, but he does not admit to sitting, yet he admits to an offence, he is to be dealt with for the offence. If he admits to going, and he admits to sitting, but he does not admit to an offence, he is to be dealt with for the sitting. If he admits to going, but he does not admit to sitting, nor does he admit to an offence, he is not to be dealt with.
If he does not admit to going, but he admits to sitting, and he admits to an offence, he is to be dealt with for the offence. If he does not admit to going, and he does not admit to sitting, but he admits to an offence, he is to be dealt with for the offence. If he does not admit to going, but he admits to sitting, yet he does not admit to an offence, he is to be dealt with for the sitting. If he does not admit to going, nor does he admit to sitting, nor does he admit to an offence, he is not to be dealt with.