Confession 159

Dharmaguptaka Vinaya, fascicle 30 (Part 2.9, explanation of the bhikkhunī rules.)

Translated by the Kāśmīra Tipiṭaka master Buddhayaśas together with Zhú Fóniàn in the later Qin state.

The 178 simple pācittiya rules, part 7.

First Origin Story

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

Then the group-of-six bhikkhunīs went on a road riding in a vehicle. When the householders saw this, they were all upset and said: “These bhikkhunīs know no shame, they’ve broken celibacy. Outwardly, they praise themselves: ‘We know the true dhamma’, how is that the true dhamma? They go around riding in a vehicle. There’s no difference to prostitutes and criminals.”

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 go on a road riding in a vehicle?” 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 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, bhikkhunīs, did you go around riding in a vehicle?” 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:

Preliminary Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī goes on a road riding in a vehicle, it’s a pācittiya.’” In this way the World-honored One laid down the precept for the bhikkhunīs.

Second Origin Story

Then there were bhikkhunīs who were old, or weak, sick, and with low energy. They couldn’t go from one residence to another. The Buddha said: “From now on, I allow to ride in a rickshaw, or in a vehicle with only females Possibly this means only drawn by female animals, as in the parallel rules of other schools*.” Then the bhikkhunīs had difficulties, or their lives were in danger, or their celibacy was in danger. They had doubts and didn’t dare to ride in a vehicle to escape. The Buddha said: “From now on, if there are such difficulties, I allow to ride in a vehicle to leave. From now on, you should recite the precept like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī, who isn’t sick, goes around riding in a vehicle, except at a suitable time for a good reason, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“A vehicle” means there are four kinds: an elephant, a horse, a carriage, and a rickshaw.

If a bhikkhunī, who isn’t sick, goes around riding in a vehicle, whenever she reaches the territory of a village, each village is a pācittiya. Whenever she goes 10 leagues in the wilderness where there’s no village, it’s a pācittiya. If she goes less than the distance of a village territory, or less than 10 leagues, it’s a dukkaṭa. If she goes within the territory of one family, it’s a dukkaṭa. If she plans and wants to go but doesn’t go, or if she makes an appointment to go but doesn’t go, in all cases it’s a dukkaṭa.

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 has a certain illness at that time and she rides in all kinds of female(-drawn) vehicles, if her life is in danger, or if her celibacy is in danger and she rides in a vehicle to escape, or if she’s held by force and made to go, 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 159th rule.)