Confession 75

First Origin Story

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

Then there was a householder who went forth to practise the path together with this wife. At mealtime, they went to the village on almsround. Having obtained (some food), they took it and returned to the bhikkhunī monastery. During the meal, the bhikkhunī who was the former wife took water and stood in front of him, and also fanned him with a fan. The bhikkhu said: “Move away a little. I’m a person possessed of shame. Don’t stand in front of me.” The bhikkhunī said: “Venerable, why are you ashamed of me?” He said again: “Why don’t you leave quickly? I’m ashamed.” The bhikkhunī answered: “When I stand in front of you, you say it’s shameful. Previously, we did certain things together, how come you weren’t ashamed then?” And the bhikkhunī, his wife, angrily hit him with the handle of the fan, poured the water on his head, left him, and entered her room.

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 this bhikkhunī: “Why did you angrily hit a bhikkhu?” 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 this bhikkhunī: “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, bhikkhunī, hit a bhikkhu?” Then, when the World-honored One had criticized this bhikkhunī in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus: “This bhikkhunī has all kinds of taints, and is 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:

Preliminary Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī, when a bhikkhu is eating, offers him water or fans him with a fan, it’s a pācittiya.’” In this way, the World-honored One laid down the precept for the bhikkhunīs.

Second Origin Story

Then the bhikkhunīs had doubts and didn’t dare to look after sick bhikkhus. Nobody gave them water, and they didn’t dare ask. The Buddha said: “I allow the bhikkhunīs to look after a sick bhikkhu, and if he has no water, I allow to ask. From now on, you should recite the precept like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī, when a bhikkhu isn’t sick and is eating, offers him water or fans him with a fan, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

If a bhikkhunī, when a bhikkhu isn’t sick and is eating, offers him water, or stands in front and fans him with a fan, it’s a pācittiya.

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 looks after a sick bhikkhu who has no water and asks, 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 75th rule.)