Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time Venerable Upananda the Sakyan went to the house of a friend and sat down in private alone with his wife. The husband complained and criticized him, “How can Venerable Upananda sit down in private alone with my wife?”

The monks heard the complaints of that man, and the monks of few desires … complained and criticized Upananda, “How can Venerable Upananda sit down in private alone with a woman?” … “Is it true, Upananda, that you did this?”

“It’s true, Master.”

The Buddha rebuked him, “… Foolish man, how can you sit down in private alone with a woman? 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 down in private alone with a woman, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

A: whoever … Monk: … The monk who has been given the full ordination by a complete Order through a procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is unchallengeable and fit to stand— this sort of monk is meant in this case.

A woman: a human female, not a female spirit, not a female ghost, not a female animal. She understands and is capable of discerning bad speech and good speech, what is lewd and what is not lewd.

With: together.

Alone: just the monk and the woman.

In 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.

Sits down: if the monk sits down or lies down next to a seated woman, he commits an offense entailing confession. If a woman sits down or lies down next to the seated monk, he commits an offense entailing confession. If both are seated or both are lying down, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If it is a woman, and he perceives her as a woman, and he sits down in private alone with her, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a woman, but he is unsure if it is, and he sits down in private alone with her, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a woman, but he does not perceive her as a woman, and he sits down in private alone with her, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If he sits down in private alone with a female spirit, with a female ghost, with a sexual nonconformist, or with a female animal in the form of a woman, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is not a woman, but he perceives it as a woman, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is not a woman, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is not a woman, and he does not perceive it as a woman, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he has a man who understands as a companion; if he stands and does not sit down; if he is not seeking privacy; if he sits down thinking of something else; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The fifth rule, the training rule on sitting in private, is finished.