Confession 170

Origin Story

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

Then the group-of-six bhikkhunī instructed lay people in worldly skills: “Don’t defecate and urinate in the direction of the sun, the moon, or a shrine-house of the gods, also don’t throw away your garbage or the dirty dish-washing water in the direction of the sun, the moon, or a shrine of the gods, and don’t stretch out your feet towards the sun, the moon, or a shrine of the gods. If you want to build a building, till a field, or do the planting, you should do it in the direction of the sun, the moon, or a shrine-house of the gods.” They also said: “Today the stellar constellations are such and such. It’s a good day, suitable for planting or for building a house, suitable for employing workers, suitable for shaving the head of small children, suitable for growing one’s hair, suitable for shaving the beard, suitable for increasing wealth, and suitable for going on long journeys.”

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 instruct lay people in the following skills: ‘Did you know? Don’t defecate and urinate in the direction of the sun, the moon, or a shrine-house of the gods … suitable for going on long journeys’?” 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, group-of-six bhikkhunīs, did you instruct householders in worldly skills: ‘Did you know? Don’t defecate and urinate in the direction of the sun, the moon, or places of circumambulation … suitable for going on long journeys’?” 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:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī instructs lay people in worldly skills, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“Skills” is as explained above.

If someone wants to say something, she should say to another person: “Don’t defecate and urinate in the direction of a stupa of the Tathāgata or a stupa of a disciple, or throw away your garbage or the dirty dish-washing water, also don’t stretch out your feet towards a stupa of the Tathāgata or a stupa of a disciple. If you want to build a building, till a field, or do the planting, you should do it in the direction of a stupa of the Tathāgata or a stupa of a disciple.” It’s not allowable to say: “Today there are such and such good stellar constellations, it’s suitable for building a house, suitable for planting, suitable for employing workers, suitable to shave the head of small children, suitable for growing one’s hair, suitable for shaving the beard.” She should say: “It’s suitable to enter a stupa or a monastery, support the bhikkhu sangha, and undertake the fasting after midday on the eighth day, the fourteenth day, the fifteenth day, and the transformation days pāṭihāriya days*.” If a bhikkhunī instructs lay people in worldly skills … ‘suitable for going on long journeys’, and if she speaks and others understand, it’s a pācittiya. If others don’t understand, 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 instructs them: “Don’t defecate and urinate in the direction of a stupa of the Tathāgata or a stupa of a disciple, or throw away your garbage or dirty water, also don’t stretch out your feet towards a stupa of the Tathāgata or a stupa of a disciple. If you want to till a field, do the planting, or build a building, you should do it in the direction of a stupa of the Tathāgata … undertake the fasting after midday,” if she says it jokingly, if she speaks quickly, if she speaks when she’s alone, if she speaks in a dream, or if she wants to say one thing but by mistake says something else, 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 170th rule.)