Confession 127

First Origin Story

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

Then the bhikkhunīs gave the full ordination to prostitutes. When their former clients saw them, they said to each other: “These prostitutes previously did such-and-such a thing with us.” When those newly-ordained bhikkhunīs and the other bhikkhunīs heard this, they were all ashamed.

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 give the full ordination to prostitutes?” Then they told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus went and told the World-honored One. The World-honored One for this reason gathered the bhikkhu sangha and criticized these 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 the full ordination to prostitutes?” 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:

Preliminary Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī gives the full ordination to such a person, it’s a pācittiya.’” In this way the World-honored One laid down the precept for the bhikkhunīs.

Second Origin Story

The bhikkhunīs didn’t know if she was such a a person or not. They only found out later. Some confessed a pācittiya, some had doubts. (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 she’s such a person and gives her the full ordination, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“Such a person” means a prostitute. She has a husband, or there are her husband’s brothers, or even the men from her former affairs.

If a bhikkhunī gives such a person the full ordination, she should take her five or six yojanas away. If they don’t go, she should hide her well in a safe place. If a bhikkhunī gives the full ordination to such a person and doesn’t take her five or six yojanas away, or hides her, it’s a pācittiya.

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

“Not committed” means if she doesn’t know at first that she’s such a person and gives her the full ordination, if she takes her five or six yojanas away, if she instructs others to take her five or six yojanas away, or if she hides her, 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 127th rule.)