Confession 88

Origin Story

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

Then the group-of-six bhikkhunīs because of some small matter, angrily cursed someone to fall into the three paths of misery, and to not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma: “If I’ve done such a thing, may it make me fall into the three paths of misery, may I not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma; if you’ve done such a thing, may you also fall into the three paths of misery, may you not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma.”

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, because of some small matter, angrily curse someone to fall into the three paths of misery, and to not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma: ‘If I’ve done such a thing, may it make me fall into the three paths of misery, may I not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma; if you’ve done such a thing, may you also fall into the three paths of misery, may you not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma.’?” 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, because of some small matter, angrily curse someone to fall into the three paths of misery, and to not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma: ‘If I’ve done such a thing, may it make me fall into the three paths of misery, may I not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma; if you’ve done such a thing, may you also fall into the three paths of misery, may you not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma.’?” 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, for some insignificant reason, curses someone to fall into the three paths of misery, and to not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma: “If I’ve done such a thing, may I fall into the three paths of misery, may I not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma; if you’ve done such a thing, may you also fall into the three paths of misery, may you not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma,” it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

The Buddha said: “From now on, I allow to invoke the ‘Namo Buddha’: ‘If I’ve done such a thing, namo Buddha (hommage to the Buddha); if you’ve done such a thing, also namo Buddha.’”

If a bhikkhunī, because of some small matter, curses someone to fall into the three paths of misery, and to not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma: “If I’ve done such a thing, may I fall into the three paths of misery, may I not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma; if you’ve done such a thing, may you also enter into the three paths of misery, may you not be born into the Buddha’s dhamma,” and if she speaks and the other understands, it’s a pācittiya. If she doesn’t understand, 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 she says “Namo Buddha”, if she says it jokingly, if she speaks quickly, if she speaks when she’s alone, if she speaks in a dream, or if she wants to say one thing but by mistake says something else, 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 88th rule.)