Confession 168

First Origin Story

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

When the bhikkhunīs heard that the World-honored One had laid down a precept and allowed to ordain students, they ordained people in debt and those with many diseases. When they had given the full ordination, the creditors came and dragged them away, and the sick people often needed someone to look after them and weren’t able to stay apart.

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 these bhikkhunīs: “The World-honored One has laid down a precept and allowed to ordain someone. Why did you ordain people in debt and sick people? The creditors dragged them away, and the sick people often needed someone to look after them and weren’t able to stay apart.” 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 in debt and sick people? The creditors dragged them away, and the sick people often needed someone to look after them and weren’t able to stay apart.” 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 people in debt and sick people, 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 was in trouble because of debt or not, or if someone was in trouble because of disease or not. They only found out later that someone was in trouble because of debt and disease. Among them 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 someone is in trouble because of debt or disease, and gives her the full ordination, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“Debt” means even just the 16th part of one coin.

“Disease” means even just often suffering from headaches.

If a bhikkhunī knows that someone is in trouble because of debt or disease, and gives her the full ordination, when they’ve carried out the motion and 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 that person’s words, if she believes a trustworthy person’s words, if she believes her parents’ words, or if after she has given her the full ordination, (the new bhikkhunī) gets debts or diseases, 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 168th rule.)