Confession 97

Origin Story

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

Then the people in a remote area of King Pasenadi’s territory rebelled. The group-of-six bhikkhunīs wandered among those people in a dubious, frightening place. When the bandits saw them, they said: “These group-of-six bhikkhunīs are all supported by King Pasenadi. We’ll molest them.” When the householders saw this, they were all upset and said: “These bhikkhunīs have no shame and they all break their celibacy. Outwardly, they praise themselves: ‘We know the true dhamma’, how is that the true dhamma? They wander among the people in a remote area in a frightening place. There’s no difference to criminals and prostitutes.”

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 the group-of-six bhikkhunīs: “Why did you wander among the people in a frightening place?” Then they went and told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha 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 did you wander among the people in a frightening place?” When the World-honored One had criticized them in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus: “These 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 wanders among the people in a dubious, frightening place in a remote area, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“A remote area” means a place far from the fortified cities.

“Dubious” means dubious because there are bandits.

“Frightening” means frightening because there are bandits.

If a bhikkhunī wanders in a dubious, frightening place in a remote area, whenever she enters a village and walks from one territory to the next, each is a pācittiya. If there’s no village and she walks 10 leagues in the wilderness, it’s a pācittiya. If she walks less than the distance of a village, or less than 10 leagues, it’s a dukkaṭa. If within one village, she walks in one territory, it’s a dukkaṭa. If she plans and wants to go, or if she makes an appointment, but doesn’t go, in all cases 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’s summoned, if she’s invited, if there’s a message to convey, if she’s held by force, if she’s arrested, if her life is in danger, if her celibacy is in danger, or if she goes there first and later a dubious, frightening situaton arises, 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 97th rule.)