Confession 81

Origin Story

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

Then the group-of-six bhikkhunīs entered a screened-off place together with men. When the householders saw it, they were all upset and said: “These bhikkhunīs know no shame and they commit impure practices. Outwardly, they praise themselves: ‘We know the true dhamma’, how is that the true dhamma? Why do bhikkhunīs enter a screened-off place together with men? There’s no difference to prostitutes and criminals.”

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 the group-of-six bhikkhunīs: “Why did you enter a screened-off place together with men?” 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 enter a screened-off place together with men?” 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 enters a screened-off place together with a man, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“A screened-off place” means screened by a tree, a wall, a fence, a cloth, or any other item.

If a bhikkhunī enters a screened-off place together with a man, it’s a pācittiya. If she’s with a companion who is blind but not deaf, or deaf but not blind, it’s a dukkaṭa. If she stands, it’s a dukkaṭa.

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 there are two bhikkhunīs as companions, if she has a knowledgeable person as companion, if she has another woman as companion who is not blind and not deaf, if she walks and doesn’t stay, if she’s sick and falls to the ground, if she’s made to enter by force, if she’s arrested, if her life is in danger, or if her celibacy is in danger, 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 81st rule.)