Confession 164

First Origin Story

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

Then there were bhikkhunīs who didn’t enter the rains retreat.

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 these bhikkhunīs: “Why didn’t you enter the rains retreat?” 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, bhikkhunīs, didn’t you enter the rains retreat?” 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 doesn’t enter the rains retreat, it’s a pācittiya.’” In this way the World-honored One laid down the precept for the bhikkhunīs.

Second Origin Story

Then the bhikkhunīs had matters of the Buddha, the dhamma, and the sangha to attend to, or they looked after the sick. They didn’t enter the rains retreat and had doubts. The Buddha said: “From now on, I allow to enter the later rains retreat for such reasons. From now on, you should recite the precept like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī neither enters the earlier, nor the later rains retreat, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

When a bhikkhunī doesn’t enter the earlier rains retreat, it’s a dukkaṭa. When she doesn’t enter the later rains retreat, it’s a pācittiya.

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 enters the earlier rains retreat, or if she attends to matters of the Buddha, the dhamma, and the sangha, or looks after the sick, and enters the later rains retreat, 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 164th rule.)