Confession 89

Origin Story

At that time, the World-honored One was in Kosambī in Ghosita’s park.

Then Kālī bhikkhunī quarreled with others, held on to the dispute without remembering correctly, beat her chest with her own hands, and cried.

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 criticized Kālī bhikkhunī: “Why did you quarrel with others, beat your chest with your own hands, and cry?” 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 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, Kālī bhikkhunī, did you quarrel with others, beat your chest with your hands, and cry?” When the World-honored One had criticized Kālī bhikkhunī in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus: “This Kālī 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:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī quarrels with others, holds on to a dispute without remembering correctly, beats her chest, and cries, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“If a bhikkhunī quarrels with others” means there are four kinds of quarrels as above.

If a bhikkhunī quarrels with others, holds on to a dispute without remembering correctly, beats her chest, and cries, each beating of the chest is a pācittiya, and each falling tear drop is 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 has a certain illness at that time, if she chokes on food and beats (her chest), if tears come because of defecating or urinating, if tears come because of wind, cold, or heat, if tears come because of smoke, if she hears the dhamma, disenchantment arises in her mind, and tears come, or if she applies medicine for an illness of the eyes and tears come, 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 89th rule.)