Relinquishment With Confession 30

Origin Story

At that time, the Blessed One was in Vesālī.

Then a Licchavi from Vesālī for some reason was to obtain some goods from a householder. There was a certain Kālī bhikkhunī who often went in and out of that house. They were her supporters. Then the Licchavi said to Kālī bhikkhunī: “Venerable, I’d like to settle this matter with those goods. Can you take care of it for me?” She replied: “I can.” Then she took care of it. They obtained the goods and asked her happily: “Venerable, what do you want to receive?” She replied: “Enough. This is for having offered things to me.” They said again: “If there’s anything you need, tell me.” She replied: “Enough. Even if I needed something, I don’t see at all how it’d be given.” They replied: “I’ll give it, I won’t not give it. Just tell me.” Then she pointed at a light cloth worth 500 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? She then asks for a cloth worth 500 panels of cotton cloth. Even if a supporter offers it, she should still know moderation.” They then took the cloth and gave it, and said: “If I had gone, I could’ve fully taken care of this matter, and then I wouldn’t have lost this cloth.”

Then, Bhaddā Kāpilānī bhikkhunī returned 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 without worries, what do you want or need?” She replied: “Enough. I don’t need to 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. What do you want or need?” Then she pointed at a light cloth worth 500 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 light cloth worth 500 panels of cotton cloth. Even if a supporter offers it, she should still know moderation.” Then, when they had given her the cloth, they added: “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 Kālī and Bhaddā Kāpilānī bhikkhunīs: “Why did you ask for a light cloth worth 500 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, bhikkhunīs, did you ask for a light cloth worth 500 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 wants to ask for a light cloth, it may be worth two and a half panels of cotton cloth at most. If she exceeds that, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“A light cloth” means a cloth to protect oneself from the heat.

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

If a bhikkhunī asks for a light cloth, it may consist of up to 10 strips at most. If a bhikkhunī asks for a light cloth worth more than two and a half panels of cotton cloth, 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 cloth to her in a formal act with a motion as second to return it as above. If they don’t return it, if they accept it and make the five robes out of it, … if they turn it into something other than a robe, 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 two and a half panels of cotton cloth, or something worth less than two and a half panels, if she asks from renunciates, if she asks for others or others ask for her, 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 30th rule.)