Confession 178

Origin Story

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

Then there was Kālā-Chandāsaññā bhikkhunī, who was the older sister of a woman gone forth as a non-Buddhist renunciate. That bhikkhunī then had her non-Buddhist renunciate sister apply perfume on her body. When the householders saw this, they laughed at her and said: “This bhikkhunī has no shame, she has broken celibacy. Outwardly, she praises herself: ‘I know the true dhamma’, how is that the true dhamma? She has her non-Buddhist renunciate sister apply perfume on her body. There’s no difference to prostitutes and criminals.”

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 Kālā-Chandāsaññā bhikkhunī: “Why did you have your non-Buddhist renunciate sister apply perfume on your body?” Having criticized her, 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 Kālā-Chandāsaññā bhikkhunī: “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, bhikkhunī, did you have your non-Buddhist renunciate sister apply perfume on your body?” When he had criticized her in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus: “This bhikkhunī has all kinds of taints, and is 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 has a non-Buddhist female renunciate apply perfume on her body, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

If a bhikkhunī has a non-Buddhist female renunciate apply perfume on her body, 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 has a certain illness at that time, or if she’s held by force, 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 178 pācittiya rules.