Relinquishment With Confession 23

Origin Story

At that time, the Blessed One was in Sāvatthī in Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park.

Then a group of bhikkhunīs asked among the people in order to build a building. They asked here and there and received many goods. Then the bhikkhunīs thought to themselves: “If we build a building with these things, there will be many duties. For bhikkhunīs, robes are hard to get, and we should prepare our five robes. We’d better now use these things to exchange them for robes, and distribute them.” When they had thought this, they exchanged them for robes, and distributed them. At a later time, the householders asked: “With the things we previously gave for building an abode, have you finished building the abode?” They answered: “We didn’t build it.” They asked: “Why didn’t you build it?” They answered: “We thought to ourselves: ‘If we arrange to build a building, there will be many duties. For bhikkhunīs, robes are hard to get, and we should have five robes complete. We’d better exchange these things for robes, and distribute them.’ When we had thought this, we exchanged them for robes, and distributed them.” When the householders heard this, they were all upset and said: “These bhikkhunīs take without limit. Outwardly, they praise themselves: ‘We know the true dhamma’, how is that the true dhamma? They exchanged our funds for abodes for robes and distributed them, as if we don’t know that for bhikkhunīs robes are hard to get, and they should have five robes complete? But we heard the World-honored One say: ‘The highest merit is to build a building and offer it to the sangha of the four directions.’”

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 exchange someone’s funds for abodes 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 exchange funds that a supporter has given for an abode for robes and distribute them?” Then, when the World-honored One had criticized the bhikkhunīs in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus: “Those bhikkhunīs are fools! They’ve 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 a supporter has given an item 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.

“Having given an item for a certain purpose” means using what was given for building a sangha building to make robes, or using what was given for making robes to build a sangha building, or using what was given for one purpose for another purpose.

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

“For the sangha” means the sangha’s things 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 robe to her and carry out 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 asks the donor of the item and uses it according to their intentions, if when they give it, they say: Use it as you like,” or if their friend says: “Use it as you like, I’ll speak with the donor,” 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 23rd rule.)