Relinquishment With Confession 1-18

The 30 pācittiya rules with relinquishment

Origin Story

At that time, the Buddha was in Sāvatthī in Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park. Then the World-honored One for this reason gathered the bhikkhu sangha, and said to the bhikkhus: “From now on, I’ll lay down a precept for the bhikkhunīs, and state the 10 principles: … So that the true dhamma may last long. Someone wishing to recite the precept should recite like this:

Final Ruling

“If a bhikkhunī has finished her robes, has relinquished the kaṭhina robe, and keeps spare cloth for 10 days without making a pure offering vikappana*, she may use it. If she keeps it longer, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the first rule.)

If a bhikkhunī has finished her robes, has relinquished the kaṭhina robe, and stays in another place away from any of her five robes overnight, unless the sangha has carried out a formal act, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the second rule.)

If a bhikkhunī has finished her robes, has relinquished the kaṭhina robe, and obtains out-of-season cloth, she should accept it if she wants or needs it. Having accepted it, she should quickly turn it into a robe. If it’s enough, it’s fine. If it’s not enough, she may keep it for one month in order to complete it. If she keeps it longer, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the third rule.)

If a bhikkhunī asks for a robe from an unrelated male or female householder, except at a suitable time, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. This is a suitable time: If the robe has been stolen, lost, burnt, or washed away. This is called the suitable time. (End of the fourth rule.)

If a bhikkhunī’s robe has been stolen, lost, burnt, or washed away, and that unrelated male or female householder invites her and gives many robes, that bhikkhunī should know what is sufficient when accepting robes. If she exceeds that, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the fifth rule.)

If a male or female householder prepares a robe fund for a bhikkhunī, to buy a certain kind of robe for bhikkhunī So-and-so, and if that bhikkhunī without having first received an invitation, goes to the householder’s home and says: ‘It’d be good, householder, to prepare for me such-and-such a robe fund to give to me,’ in order to get something good, and if she obtains the robe, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the sixth rule.)

If two male or female householders prepare a robe fund for a bhikkhunī: ‘We’ve prepared such-and-such a robe fund for bhikkhunī So-and-so,’ and if that bhikkhunī without having first received an invitation, goes to the two householders’ homes and says: ‘It’d be good, householders, to prepare such-and-such a robe fund for me. Make one robe together,’ in order to get something good, and if she obtains the robe, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the seventh rule.)

If there is a bhikkhunī, and if a king, a high official, a brahmin, a male or a female householder sends a messenger with a robe fund for the bhikkhunī: ‘Take such a robe fund and give it to bhikkhunī So-and-so,’ and if that messenger goes to the bhikkhunī and says: ‘Venerable, this robe fund has been sent for you, receive it,’ the bhikkhunī should say to the messenger: ‘I shouldn’t accept this robe fund. If I need a robe, I’ll accept something pure at the right time.’ If the messenger says to the bhikkhunī: ‘Venerable, do you have a manager?’, the bhikkhunī who needs a robe should say: ‘I do. Either a monastery attendant or a lay person, these are the bhikkhunīs’ managers, who often manage things for the bhikkhunīs.’ After having gone to the manager and given them the robe fund, the messenger returns to the bhikkhunī and says: ‘Venerable, I’ve given the robe fund to the manager So-and-so you indicated. Venerable, when you know that the right time has come, you should go to them and receive a robe.’ If that bhikkhunī needs a robe, she should go to that manager and say two or three times: ‘I need a robe.’ If at the second or third time of reminding them, she obtains a robe, it’s fine. If she doesn’t obtain a robe, she may stand silently in front of them for a fourth, fifth, and sixth time to make them remember. If at the fourth, fifth, and sixth time of silently standing in front of them, she obtains the robe, it’s fine. If she doesn’t obtain the robe, and continues to seek to obtain it, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. If she doesn’t obtain the robe, she should either go herself to the place where the messenger came from, or send a messenger there to say: ‘You previously sent a messenger holding a robe fund for bhikkhunī So-and-so. In the end, the bhikkhunī hasn’t obtained it. You should take it back, don’t let it be lost.’ This is the procedure. (End of the eighth rule.)

If a bhikkhunī takes gold, silver, or money herself, or instructs others to take it, or receives it verbally, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the ninth rule.)

If a bhikkhunī engages in all kinds of trades with jewels, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the 10th rule.)

If a bhikkhunī engages in all kinds of exchanges, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the 11th rule.)

If a bhikkhunī keeps a bowl with less than five repairs that doesn’t leak, and asks for a new bowl, in order to get something good, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. That bhikkhunī should take that bowl and relinquish it in the midst of the bhikkhunī sangha. Afterwards, it’s exchanged in order down to the most junior bhikkhunī. The junior bhikkhunī’s bowl is given to that bhikkhunī, and it’s said: ‘Younger sister, keep this bowl until it breaks.’ This is the procedure. (End of the 12th rule.)

If a bhikkhunī asks for thread herself to have it woven into a robe by an unrelated weaver, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the 13th rule.)

If there is a bhikkhunī, and if a male or a female householder has a weaver weave a robe for the bhikkhunī, and if that bhikkhunī without first having received an invitation, goes there and says to the weaver: ‘This robe is woven for me. Weave it very well, make it wide, long, strong, fine, neat, and good. I’ll give you some compensation,’ and if that bhikkhunī then gives a compensation, even just one meal, and she obtains the robe, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the 14th rule.)

If a bhikkhunī gives a robe to another bhikkhunī, and if later out of anger she either snatches it back herself, or instructs others to snatch it back, (and says:) ‘Return my robe, it’s not given to you,’ and if the other bhikkhunī should return the robe and (the first bhikkhunī) takes it, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the 15th rule.)

If sick bhikkhunīs keep medicine: ghee, oil, butter, honey, or sugar, they may eat it and keep it overnight, and may take it up to seven days. If they take it longer than seven days, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the 16th rule.)

If a bhikkhunī within 10 days before the end of the three summer months, has an urgently offered robe, and she knows that it’s an urgently offered robe, she should accept it. Having accepted it, she should keep it until the robe season. If she keeps it longer, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of the 17th rule.)

If a bhikkhunī knows that an item is for the sangha, and she asks for it for herself, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya.” (End of the 18th rule.)

Dharmaguptaka Vinaya, fascicle 23.