Confession 165

First Origin Story

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

Then the bhikkhunīs heard that the World-honored One had laid down a precept that one may give the full ordination to others. They gave the full ordination to people who often soiled themselves with excrement and urine, and who often had snot and saliva flow out. They soiled their bodies, their robes, and the bedding.

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 did you just ordain people who often soil themselves with excrement and urine, and who often have snot and saliva flow out? They soiled their bodies, their robes, and the beds, mats, and bedding.” 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, did you ordain people who often soil themselves with excrement and urine, and who often have snot and saliva flow out? They soiled their bodies, their robes, and the beds, mats, and bedding.” 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 gives the full ordination to someone who often soils herself with excrement and urine, and who often has snot and saliva flow out, it’s a pācittiya.’” In this way the World-honored One laid down the precept for the bhikkhunīs.

Second Origin Story

Then the bhikkhunīs didn’t know if someone often soiled herself with excrement and urine or not, and if snot and saliva flowed out 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 a woman often soils herself with excrement and urine, and often has snot and saliva flow out, and gives her the full ordination, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

If a bhikkhunī knows that a someone often soils herself with excrement and urine, and often has snot and saliva flow out, and gives her the full ordination, when they’ve carried out the three announcements, the preceptor commits a pācittiya. When they’ve carried out the motion and two announcements, it’s three dukkaṭas. When they’ve carried out the motion and one announcement, it’s two dukkaṭas. When they’ve carried out the motion, it’s one dukkaṭa. If the motion hasn’t yet been finished, it’s a dukkaṭa. If they haven’t yet done the motion, when they shave her head, when they give her the precepts, when they gather the sangha, or when the assembly is complete, in all cases it’s a dukkaṭa.

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

“Not committed” means if she doesn’t know at first, if she believes a trustworthy person’s words, if she believes her parents’ words, or if she gives her the full ordination, and later (the new bhikkhunī) gets such a disease, 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 165th rule.)