Confession 160

Origin Story

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

Then the group-of-six bhikkhunīs entered a village without wearing their vests and exposed their chests, armpits, breasts, and belts. 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 enter a village without wearing their vests. There’s no difference to criminals and prostitutes.”

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 the group-of-six bhikkhunīs: “Why did you enter a village without wearing your vests, exposing your chests, armpits, breasts, and belts?” 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 did you enter a village without wearing your vests, exposing your chests, armpits, breasts, and belts?” When he had criticized them in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus: “These group-of-six 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 enters a village without wearing her vest saṅkaccika.*, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“A village” is as above.

If a bhikkhunī enters through a village gate without wearing her vest, it’s a pācittiya. If she has one foot outside the gate and one foot inside, and she plans and wishes to enter but doesn’t enter, or if she sets a time to enter, but doesn’t enter, 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 has a certain illness at that time, if she has a wound below her armpit, if she has no vest, if she plans and wants to make one, if she washes or dyes it and it’s not yet dry, if she has lost it, if she hangs it in a secure place, if she’s held by force, 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 160th rule.)