Confession 107

Origin Story

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

Then Upananda the Sakyan had two sāmaṇeras, one called “Ear” and the other called “Honey”. One of them disrobed and the other joined a group of non-Buddhist renunciates while wearing the monastic robe. Then the group-of-six bhikkhunīs offered renunciates’ robes to the one who had disrobed and the other who had joined non-Buddhist renunciates.

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 take renunciates’ robes and offer them to someone who had disrobed and to someone who had joined non-Buddhist renunciates?” The bhikkhunīs went and told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus went and told the Buddha. The Buddha 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 give renunciates’ robes to someone who had disrobed and to someone who had joined non-Buddhist renunciates?” Then, when the World-honored One had criticized the group-of-six bhikkhunīs 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 takes a renunciate’s robe and offers it to non-Buddhist renunciates or lay people, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“Lay people” means householders.

“Non-Buddhist renunciates” means people gone forth outside the Buddha’s dhamma.

“A renunciate’s robe” means a dyed and sun-dried robe.

If a bhikkhunī offers a renunciate’s robe and someone else accepts it, it’s a pācittiya. If she offers and the other doesn’t accept it, it’s a dukkaṭa. If she plans and want to give, but doesn’t give, or if she promises that she’ll give, but doesn’t give, 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 gives it to her parents, if she gives it to people building a stupa, a dhamma hall, or a building, if she calculates the value of food and gives it, or if it’s snatched by force, 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 107th rule.)