Confession 116

Origin Story

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

Then there was a group of bhikkhunīs who were walking on a road towards the country of Kosala and had reached a village without a resthouse. They spoke with the owner of a house, laid out bedding inside the house and stayed there overnight. When dawn came the next day, they left without taking leave of the owner. Later, a fire broke out in the village and the house was burning. When it was burning, the householder thought that there were people inside the house, and they didn’t go to put out the fire. The fire completely burnt down the house. Then they asked: “Where are the bhikkhunīs?” Someone answered: “They’ve already left.” Then the householders were all upset and said: “These bhikkhunīs know no shame. Outwardly, they praise themselves: ‘We know the true dhamma’, how is that the true dhamma? Why did they tell the owner that they’ll stay overnight inside the house, and leave the next day without taking leave of them? We thought that there were people inside the house, and didn’t put out the fire, which made the house burn down completely.”

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 these bhikkhunīs: “Why did you speak with the owner, stay overnight in their house, and then when you left, you didn’t inform them, which made their house burn down completely?” Then they went and told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus went and told the Buddha. The Buddha for this reason gathered the bhikkhu sangha and criticized these bhikkhunīs: “Why did you speak with the owner, stay overnight in their house, and then when you left, you didn’t tell them, which made their house burn down completely?” 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 comes to a lay house, speaks with the owner, lays out seats to stay overnight, and leaves the next day without taking leave of the owner, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“A lay house” means a village.

“Staying overnight” means there’s a place to stay overnight.

“Laying out bedding” means laying out grass, or leaves, … or a sleeping mat.

If a bhikkhunī enters a lay house, speaks with the owner, lays out seats to stay overnight, and leaves the next day without taking leave, when she goes through the gate, it’s a pācittiya. If she has one foot inside and one foot outside, if she plans and wishes to go but doesn’t go, or if she makes an appointment to go but doesn’t go, all cases are dukkaṭas.

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 takes leave of the owner and goes, if there are people already living in the house, if the house was previously empty, if it previously was a house for making merit, if they’re friends, if a friend says: “Just leave, I’ll tell the owner for you,” if the house collapses, if it’s on fire, if there’s a poisonous snake, or a savage animal inside, if criminals enter, if she’s held by force, if she’s imprisoned, if her life is in danger, or if her celibacy is in danger, 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 116th rule.)