Relinquishment With Confession 25

Origin Story

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

Then the group-of-six bhikkhunīs stored many beautiful utensils, and put the less beautiful ones aside. They stored many utensils like this, but didn’t wash them or arrange them properly, and put them on the ground in disorder. Then a group of householders came to the monastery and looked around. When they saw it, they were upset and said: “These group-of-six bhikkhunīs take without limit and know no shame. Outwardly, they praise themselves: ‘We know the true dhamma’, how is that the true dhamma? They store many utensils in disorder on the ground. There’s no difference to a potter’s shop.”

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 the group-of-six bhikkhunīs: “Why did you store many utensils in disorder on the ground?” 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 the group-of-six 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, group-of-six bhikkhunīs, did you store many utensils in disorder on the ground?” Then, when the World-honored One had criticized the group-of-six bhikkhunīs in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus: “These group-of-six 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 stores many beautiful utensils, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

On the day that a bhikkhunī obtains a utensil, that very day she should accept it. She may properly use sixteen utensils, and turn the rest into pure offerings vikappana* or send them to others. “Sixteen” means a large pot, a pot lid, a large storage container, and a ladle; a small pot, a pot lid, a small storage container, and a ladle; a water jug, a jug lid, a storage container 瓫 is likely a translation of Sanskrit kuṇḍa, which is probably related to Pāli kuṇḍolika, a storage container. The variant reading 貯水大瓫, “large container for storing water” supports this.*, and a ladle; a washing-water jug, a jug lid, a storage container, and a dipper.

If a bhikkhunī stores many utensils, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. This nissaggiya should be relinquished to the sangha, as above. When she has relinquished it, she should confess as in the rule above. The sangha should then return the relinquished utensil to her in a formal act with a motion as second to return it as above. If the sangha doesn’t return it, … or if they frequently use it, 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 on the day she obtains utensils, she accepts sixteen, and turns the others into pure offerings, or sends them to others; if she perceives the utensils as having been stolen, lost, broken, or washed away, and therefore she doesn’t turn them into pure offerings or send them to others, the offense isn’t committed. If her utensils are stolen, lost, broken, or washed away, and she herself takes and uses (the new ones), or if others give the utensils to her to use; if the bhikkhunī she has entrusted with the utensils dies, disrobes, goes on a long journey, is abducted by criminals, is in danger from savage animals, or is washed away by water, and she doesn’t turn it into a pure offering or send it to others, 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 25th rule.)