Confession 120

First Origin Story

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

Then there was a bhikkhunī who ordained a breast-feeding woman. She had left the baby at home, and later the family sent the baby back to her. This bhikkhunī held them in her arms, and entered the village on almsround. When the householders saw this, they were all upset and said: “This bhikkhunī knows no shame, she has committed impure practices. Outwardly, she praises herself: ‘I know the true dhamma’, how is that the true dhamma? Look at this renunciate who has given birth to a baby, and holds them when she walks on almsround.”

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 this bhikkhunī: “Why did you ordain a woman who is breast-feeding a baby, which made the householders upset?” They went and told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha for this reason gathered the bhikkhu sangha and criticized this 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 did you ordain a woman who is breast-feeding a baby?” When he had criticized her in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus: “This 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:

Preliminary Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī gives the full ordination to a woman who is breast-feeding a baby, it’s a pācittiya.’” In this way the World-honored One laid down the precept for the bhikkhunīs.

Second Origin Story

Then the bhikkhunīs didn’t know who had given birth and was breast-feeding and who wasn’t, and they only found out later that someone had given birth and was breast-feeding. (The Buddha said:) “If you don’t know, there’s no offense. From now on, you should recite the precept like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī knows that a woman is breast-feeding a baby and gives her the full ordination, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

If a bhikkhunī knows that a woman is breast-feeding a baby and gives her the full ordination, when they’ve carried out the three announcements, the preceptor commits a pācittiya. When they’ve carried out the motion and two announcements, it’s three dukkaṭas. When they’ve carried out the motion and one announcement, it’s two dukkaṭas. When they’ve carried out the motion, it’s one dukkaṭa. If the motion hasn’t yet been finished, it’s a dukkaṭa. If they haven’t yet done the motion, when they shave her head, when they give her the going-forth, when she puts on the robes, when they give her the (sāmaṇerī) precepts, when they gather the sangha, or when the assembly is complete, in all cases it’s a dukkaṭa.

For a bhikkhu, it’s a dukkaṭa. This is called “to commit”.

“Not committed” means if she doesn’t know, if she believes that person’s words, if she believes a trustworthy person’s words, if she believes her parents’ words, and when she has given her the full ordination, (the new bhikkhunī) later sends for her child to come, the offense isn’t committed.

The mother had doubts and didn’t dare to hold and feed (the baby boy). The Buddha said: “If he can’t yet live by himself, I allow to breast-feed him as a mother does until he is weaned.” Later, the mother had doubts about staying overnight in the same room as the baby. The Buddha said: “From now on, I allow it if he’s not yet weaned.” Then 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 120th rule.)