Confession 113

Origin Story

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

Then the group-of-six bhikkhunīs performed household chores: grinding, boiling rice, roasting oats, cooking meals, laying out beds and bedding, sweeping the ground, fetching water, and taking instructions from others. When the householders saw them, they all laughed at them and said: “They perform household chores like our wives: grinding, boiling rice, … taking instructions from others. These group-of-six bhikkhunīs also do all this.” Then pride arose in the minds of all the householders, and they didn’t respect them anymore.

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 perform household chores: grinding, … and taking instructions from others? Are you no different from lay people?” They went and told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus 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 perform household chores: grinding, … and taking instructions? Are you no different from lay people?” When he 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 carries out orders from a lay person, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“Carrying out orders from a lay person” means as above: grinding, … and taking instructions.

If a bhikkhunī performs household chores: grinding, … and taking instructions from people, in all cases it’s a pācittiya.

For a bhikkhu, this is treated according to whatever he committed. For a sikkhamānā, a sāmaṇera, and a sāmaṇerī, it’s a dukkaṭa. This is called “to commit”.

“Not committed” means if her parents are sick or imprisoned and she lays out beds and bedding, sweeps the ground, fetches water, provides what is necessary, and takes instructions; if a faithful lay Buddhist is sick or imprisoned and she lays out beds and bedding, sweeps the ground, fetches water, and takes instructions; or if she’s held by force, in all these cases 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 113th rule.)