Relinquishment With Confession 21

Origin Story

At that time, the Buddha was in Sāvatthī in Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park. Then Khemā bhikkhunī wanted to come to Sāvatthī. When the bhikkhunīs who had already been staying there a long time heard that Khemā bhikkhunī would come, they went from house to house, and asked for and received many goods, drinks and food. The arranged day came, but the bhikkhunī didn’t arrive. The bhikkhunīs who were already staying there said to each other: “We had an appointment with Khemā bhikkhunī to come to Sāvatthī, but she didn’t come. For bhikkhunīs, robes are hard to get, and we should prepare our five robes. We’d better take these things, exchange them for robes, and distribute them.” Then they made the five robes and distributed them. At a later time, Khemā bhikkhunī came to Sāvatthī. When the night was over and the right time had come, she put on her robes, took her bowl, and entered Sāvatthī on almsround. When the householders saw her, they asked: “Venerable, what are you looking for?” She answered: “Almsfood.” They asked again: “Doesn’t the sangha have food?” She answered: “No.”

On a later day, the householders went to the bhikkhunīs who were already staying there, and asked: “We previously each gave out things to offer to Khemā bhikkhunī. Did you prepare the food or not?” They answered: “We didn’t prepare it.” They asked again: “Why didn’t you prepare it?” They answered: “We previously had an appointment with Khema bhikkhunī to come to Sāvatthī, but she didn’t come. We thought: ‘There was an appointment with Khemā to come to Sāvatthī, but she didn’t come. For bhikkhunīs, robes are hard to get, and we should prepare our five robes. We’d better exchange these things for robes and distribute them.’ Then we exchanged them for robes and distributed them.” Then the householders all were upset and said: “These bhikkhunīs have no shame, they take without limit. Outwardly, they praise themselves: ‘We know the true dhamma’, but when we each previously gave out things to prepare drinks and food for Khemā bhikkhunī, why did they later exchange them for robes and distribute them? How is that the true dhamma? We also know that for bhikkhunīs robes are hard to get, and they should have five robes complete. But we have given for a reason, directly for Khemā who is coming from far, to offer her drinks and food.”

When the bhikkhunīs heard this, there were among them those with few wishes, who knew moderation, who practised the austerities, who were keen on training in the precepts, and who knew shame. They criticized these bhikkhunīs: “Why did you, when householders have given things to prepare food to offer to Khemā bhikkhunī, exchange them for robes and distribute them?” Then the bhikkhunīs went and told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus went and told the World-honored One. The World-honored One then for this reason gathered the bhikkhu sangha, and criticized these bhikkhunīs: “What you did is wrong, is improper conduct, against the rules of renunciates, an impure practice, a practice not to be followed, shouldn’t be done. Why, bhikkhunīs, did you, when householders have given things to prepare food to offer to Khemā bhikkhunī, exchange them for robes and distribute them?” When the World-honored One had criticized these bhikkhunīs in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus: “These bhikkhunīs have all kinds of taints, and are the first to break this precept. 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, when an item has been given for a certain purpose, and she has asked for it herself for the sangha, diverts it towards another use, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“When an item has been given for a certain purpose” means using what was given for food to make robes, or using what was given for robes to prepare food, or using what was given for one purpose for another purpose.

“Having asked for it oneself” means asking here and there.

“The sangha’s things” are as explained above.

If a bhikkhunī, when an item has been given for a certain purpose, and she has asked for it herself for the sangha, diverts it towards another use, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. This nissaggiya should be relinquished to the sangha, as in the rule above. When she has relinquished it, she should confess as above. The sangha should then return the relinquished robes to her in a formal act with a motion as second to return them as above. If they don’t return them, if they accept them and make the five robes out of them, … if they turn them into something other than a robe, or if they frequently wear them, in all cases it’s a dukkaṭa as above.

For a bhikkhu, it’s a dukkaṭa. For a sikkhamānā, a sāmaṇera, and a sāmaṇerī, it’s a dukkaṭa. This is called “to commit”.

“Not committed” means if she talks to the householders and uses it according to their intention, and if, after the householders have given the item, they say: “Use it as you like,” the offense isn’t committed.

“Not committed” means if she’s the first offender when the precept hadn’t yet been laid down, if she’s mad, if she’s distracted, or if she’s overcome with pain. (End of the 21st rule.)