Dhamma Principles › Aniyata 1–2: When a Trustworthy Lay Woman Sees a Monk Sitting in Private with a Woman
Aniyata 1–2: When a Trustworthy Lay Woman Sees a Monk Sitting in Private with a Woman
Everyday life

Aniyata 1–2: When a Trustworthy Lay Woman Sees a Monk Sitting in Private with a Woman

Saddheyyavacasā upāsikā

Twice, Venerable Udāyī sat in private with a young woman who had married into another family. Visākhā saw it and warned him, but he did not listen, so she told the monks. Two undetermined rules resulted, under which the Saṅgha takes up a matter on the word of a trustworthy lay woman and deals with the monk according to what he admits, or according to what she says.

7 points

The Aniyata section of the Mahāvibhaṅga, Vinaya Piṭaka volume 1, has only two rules, and both arose from Venerable Udāyī, a monk who frequented families in Sāvatthī. A young woman from a family that supported him had been given in marriage by her parents to a young man of another family. Udāyī went to see her at her new home and sat with her, one to one, in private on a screened seat, chatting and speaking on the Dhamma as the occasion allowed.

Visākhā, Migāra's mother, had been invited to that house. Seeing this, she warned him that it was improper and unsuitable: even if he had no interest in that, people without faith would be hard to convince. Udāyī did not listen, so she told the monks. It happened again a second time, in a place without a screen but still private, and Visākhā again warned him and reported it.

Aniyata means undetermined, because the offence may be a pārājika, a saṅghādisesa or a pācittiya (in rule 2, a saṅghādisesa or a pācittiya), depending on what actually happened. The rule has a lay woman whose word is trustworthy raise the matter, and the monk is dealt with according to what he admits, or according to what she says. This page gives only the substance of events, without describing any conduct.

This is a rule for monks. The one whose offence is being considered is the monk, not the young woman, and it is not a rule for lay people.

  1. 1

    Sitting in a private, screened place Raho paṭicchanne āsane alaṅkammaniye

    Udāyī sat one to one with the young woman on a screened seat. The analysis explains this as a place "suitable for the act", meaning a place where sexual intercourse could occur. The text says only that he chatted and spoke on the Dhamma; it does not say anything more happened. The rule therefore targets the situation rather than waiting for wrongdoing.

    Applying it in daily life

    Some situations are risky in themselves even when intentions are good. Choosing an open place to meet is the simplest protection.

  2. 2

    Visākhā's warning Kiñcāpi bhante ayyo anatthiko tena dhammena

    Visākhā warned that sitting like that was improper and unsuitable, even though he had no interest in that; people without faith would be hard to convince. She did not accuse him of wrongdoing but pointed out that such a situation damages the community's trust.

    Applying it in daily life

    When you need to warn someone, speak about the situation and its effect on others rather than guessing at their intentions. They will find it easier to hear.

  3. 3

    When a warning fails, tell those responsible Bhikkhūnaṃ etamatthaṃ ārocesi

    Udāyī did not listen, so Visākhā told the monks. Monks keen on the training reported it to the Buddha, who convened the Saṅgha and questioned Udāyī; he admitted it, and the rule was laid down. A matter that began with the word of one lay woman went all the way to a meeting of the Saṅgha.

    Applying it in daily life

    If a warning has not worked, telling those responsible is not snitching or betrayal. It lets the system do its job.

  4. 4

    A lay woman whose word is trustworthy Āgataphalā abhisametāvinī viññātasāsanā

    The analysis defines a lay woman whose word is trustworthy as one who has attained the fruit, penetrated the Dhamma and understood the teaching, and who has gone for refuge to the Triple Gem. The rule makes her word the starting point the Saṅgha must consider, and allows the monk to be dealt with according to what she says.

    Applying it in daily life

    When a credible person reports something troubling, don't dismiss it just because the person concerned holds a higher position.

  5. 5

    Dealt with according to what he admits Nisajjaṃ bhikkhu paṭijānamāno

    The rule says a monk who admits to sitting should be dealt with for one of the offences, or according to what the lay woman says. The analysis works through the cases: if the monk admits both the sitting and the offence, he is dealt with for that offence; if he admits only sitting or lying down, he is dealt with for the sitting or lying down; if he admits neither, he is not dealt with. This point is for overall understanding.

    Applying it in daily life

    A fair process hears both the person reporting and the person concerned, and separates what can be confirmed from what remains unclear.

  6. 6

    Out of sight and out of hearing Cakkhussa raho sotassa raho

    The analysis explains that private to the eye means a place where no one could see a wink, a raised eyebrow or a nod; private to the ear means where no one could hear ordinary speech. A screened seat is one screened by a wall, door, mat, curtain, tree, pillar or granary. A woman here means a female of any age, even a girl born that day.

    Applying it in daily life

    The test "can others see and hear?" works well when you must meet someone one to one in a caring role, especially when the other person is a child.

  7. 7

    Aniyata 2: dodging the letter of the rule Duṭṭhullāhi vācāhi obhāsituṃ

    The second time, Udāyī thought the Buddha had forbidden only screened places, so he sat with the same woman in a place without a screen but still private, where lewd words could be spoken to her. Visākhā saw it and reported it again, and rule 2 was laid down, under which the possible offence is a saṅghādisesa or a pācittiya.

    Applying it in daily life

    If you find yourself looking for a gap in a rule so you can keep doing the same thing, go back and ask whom the rule is meant to protect.

Try it in daily life

Visākhā did three things anyone in a community can do: she warned him directly and gave her reason; when that failed, she did not stay silent; and she took the matter to those responsible, rather than publicly accusing him herself.

Her warning contains a line for anyone in a position of trust: even if we mean nothing by it, others may not believe it. Teachers, coaches, doctors or religious leaders who must meet someone one to one should choose a place where others can see, leave the door open, or have a third person present, to protect both the other person and themselves.

If you see something that looks unsafe in a temple, school or workplace, reporting it to those responsible is the right thing to do, and a good organisation should take the person reporting seriously, as the Saṅgha took Visākhā seriously.

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