Origin story

First sub-story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Āḷavī at the Aggāḷava Shrine. At that time the lay followers were going to the monastery to listen to the Teaching. When the instruction was over, the senior monks went to their own dwellings, but the newly ordained monks went to sleep right there in the assembly-hall together with the lay people—mindlessly, thoughtlessly, naked, muttering, and snoring. The lay people complained and criticized them, “How can the Venerables go to sleep mindlessly, thoughtlessly, naked, muttering, and snoring?”

The monks heard the complaints of those lay people, and the monks of few desires … complained and criticized those monks, “How can those monks sleep in the same sleeping place as people who are not fully ordained?”

After criticizing those newly ordained monks in many ways, they told the Master. … “Is it true, monks, that monks do this?”

“It’s true, Master.”

The Buddha criticized them, “… How can those foolish men sleep in the same sleeping place as people who are not fully ordained? This will not give rise to confidence in those without it … And, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:

Preliminary ruling

‘If a monk sleeps in the same sleeping place as a person who is not fully ordained, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

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

Second sub-story

After staying at Āḷavī for as long as he wanted, the Master set out for Kosambī. When he eventually arrived at Kosambī, he stayed at the Badarikā Monastery.

Just then the monks said to Venerable Rāhula, “Rāhula, the Master has laid down a training rule that we cannot sleep in the same sleeping place as a person who’s not fully ordained. Please find another sleeping place.” Since Rāhula was not able to get a sleeping place, he lay down to sleep in the restroom.

Then, after rising early in the morning, the Master went to the restroom, where he coughed. Rāhula coughed too.

“Who’s there?”

“It’s me, Master, Rāhula.”

“Why are you sitting here, Rāhula?”

Rāhula told the Master what had happened. Soon afterwards the Master gave a teaching and addressed the monks, “Monks, I allow you to sleep in the same sleeping place as a person who is not fully ordained for two or three nights. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:

Final ruling

‘If a monk sleeps for more than two or three nights in the same sleeping place as a person who is not fully ordained, 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 person who is not fully ordained: anyone except a fully ordained monk.

For more than two or three nights: beyond two or three nights.

Same: together.

Sleeping place: fully roofed, fully walled; mostly roofed, mostly walled.

Sleeps […] in the same sleeping place: at dawn on the fourth day: if he lies down when the person who is not fully ordained is already lying down, he commits an offense entailing confession; if the person who is not fully ordained lies down when he is already lying down, he commits an offense entailing confession; if they both lie down together, he commits an offense entailing confession; every time they get up and then lie down again, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If it is someone who is not fully ordained, and the monk perceives him as not fully ordained, and he sleeps in the same sleeping place as him for more than two or three nights, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is someone who is not fully ordained, but the monk is unsure of it, and he sleeps in the same sleeping place as him for more than two or three nights, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is someone who is not fully ordained, but the monk perceives him as fully ordained, and he sleeps in the same sleeping place as him for more than two or three nights, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is half-roofed and half-walled, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is someone who is fully ordained, but the monk perceives him as not fully ordained, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is someone who is fully ordained, but the monk is unsure if he is, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is someone who is fully ordained, and the monk perceives him as fully ordained, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he stays together for two or three night; if he stays together for less than two or three nights; if, after staying together for two nights, he leaves before dawn on the third night and then stays together again; if it is fully roofed, but not walled; if it is fully walled, but not roofed; if it is mostly not roofed; if it is mostly not walled; if the monk sits when the person who is not fully ordained is lying down; if the person who is not fully ordained sits when the monk is lying down; if they both sit; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The fifth rule, the training rule on the same sleeping place, is finished.