Confession 136

Origin Story

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

Then Thullanandā bhikkhunī said to a sikkhamānā: “Train in this, abandon that, and I’ll give you the full ordination.” She replied: “Okay.” The sikkhamānā was intelligent and wise, and capable of encouraging others. Then Thullanandā thought: “I want to have this sikkhamānā encourage and support me for a long time, therefore I won’t make plans and arrange a time to give her the full ordination.” Then the sikkhamānā rebuked Thullanandā: “Thullanandā said to me: ‘Abandon this, train in that. I’ll give you the full ordination’, but until now she hasn’t made plans for a time to give me the full ordination.”

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 Thullanandā: “Why did you say to a sikkhamānā: ‘Abandon this, train in that, and I’ll give you the full ordination’, but didn’t give her the full ordination?” Then they went and told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the World-honored One. The World-honored One for this reason gathered the bhikkhu sangha and criticized Thullanandā: “Why did you say to a sikkhamānā: ‘Abandon this, train in that, and I’ll give you the full ordination’? Why didn’t you give her the full ordination?” 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:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī says to a sikkhamānā: “Younger sister, abandon this, train in that, and I’ll give you the full ordination,” but if she doesn’t make plans to give her the full ordination, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

If a bhikkhunī says to a sikkhamānā: ‘Younger sister, abandon this, train in that, and I’ll give you the full ordination,’ but later doesn’t make plans to give her the full ordination, it’s a pācittiya.

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

“Not committed” means if she promises to give the full ordination and then gives the full ordination, if she’s sick, if they then don’t live together, if there are no five robes, if there’s no assembly of 10, if (the sikkhamānā) is deficient in the precepts, breaks the precepts, breaks right view, breaks proper conduct, if she has been suspended, has been permanently expelled, or should be permanently expelled, if (the bhikkhunī’s) life is in danger because of this, or if her celibacy is in danger, and she doesn’t make plans to give her the full ordination, 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 136th rule.)