Relinquishment With Confession 29

Origin Story

At that time, the Blessed One was in Vesālī, in the hall with the peaked roof near the monkey pond.

Then a Licchavi from Vesālī for some reason was to obtain some goods from a householder. At that time, there was a bhikkhunī named Kālī who often went in and out of that householder’s house. They were her supporters. Then the Licchavi said to Kālī: “I’d like the venerable to take care of the matter with those goods.” She replied: “Okay.” Then she took care of this matter. They obtained the goods and asked her happily: “Venerable, what do you want or need?” She replied: “Enough. This is for having offered things to me.” They asked again: “Venerable, if there’s anything you need, tell me.” She replied: “Enough. Why should I speak? Even if I needed something, I don’t see at all how it’d be given.” The householder replied: “Just tell me, I’ll give you what you need.” Then she pointed at a cloth worth 1,000 panels of cotton cloth, and said: “I need a cloth like this.” Then the householders were all upset and said: “This bhikkhunī takes without limit. Outwardly, she praises herself: ‘I know the true dhamma’, how is that the true dhamma? Why then does she ask for a cloth worth 1,000 panels of cotton cloth? Even if a supporter offers it, she should still know moderation.” They then took it and gave it, and added: “If I had gone, I could’ve fully taken care of this matter, and I might not have lost this cloth.”

Then, Bhaddā Kāpilānī bhikkhunī went to her relatives’ house and sat down on a seat. The householders asked: “Venerable, what do you need or want?” She replied: “Enough. You’ve already offered to me.” They asked again: “Just tell us, what do you want or need?” She replied: “Why should I speak? Even if I wanted some necessity, I don’t see at all how it’d be given.” They replied: “We’ll give it, we won’t not give it. Just tell us, what do you want or need?” Then she pointed at a cloth worth 1,000 panels of cotton cloth, (and said:) “I need this cloth.” Then the householders were upset and said: “This bhikkhunī takes without limit. Outwardly, she praises herself: ‘I know the true dhamma’, how is that the true dhamma? She then asks for a cloth worth 1,000 panels of cotton cloth. Even if a supporter offers it, she should still know moderation.” Then, when they had given her the cloth, they said: “For what purpose is this bhikkhunī going to use this expensive cloth?”

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 rebuked Bhaddā Kāpilānī bhikkhunī: “Why, bhikkhunī, did you ask for a cloth worth 1,000 panels of cotton cloth from others?” 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 Kālī and Bhaddā Kāpilānī 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 did you ask for a cloth worth 1,000 panels of cotton cloth from others?” Then, when the World-honored One had criticized them in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus: “These Kālī and Bhaddā Kāpilānī 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 asks for a heavy cloth, it may be worth four panels of cotton cloth. If she exceeds that, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“A heavy cloth” means a cloth to protect oneself from the cold.

“A cloth” means the 10 kinds of cloths, as above.

If a bhikkhunī asks for a heavy cloth, it may consist of up to 16 strips at most. If a bhikkhunī asks for a heavy cloth worth more than four panels of cotton cloth, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. This nissaggiya should be relinquished to the sangha, as above. When she has relinquished the cloth, she should confess as in the rule above. The sangha should then return the cloth to that bhikkhunī, and carry out a formal act with a motion as second to give it back as above. If the sangha doesn’t return it, if they accept it and make the five robes out of it, … or if they frequently wear 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 she asks for something worth four panels of cotton cloth or less, if she asks from renunciates, if others ask for her or she asks for others, or if she obtains it without asking, 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 29th rule.)