Suspension 7

Origin Story

At that time, the World-honored One was in Sāvatthī in Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park. Then there was a bhikkhunī who hitched up her robes and crossed a body of water alone, and in this way went from the near shore to the far shore. That bhikkhunī was good-looking. Then there was a criminal who, when he had seen her, became attached to her. He let her cross over the water, took hold of her, and molested her. When the householders saw this, they all complained: “This bhikkhunī knows no shame, and engages in impure practices. Outwardly, she praises herself: ‘I know the true dhamma’, but she walks alone, and hitches up her robes to cross a body of water. She’s like a prostitute, there’s no difference. How is that the true dhamma?”

At another time, Khemā bhikkhunī had many students. She went to a village not far from the monastery where she had relatives. Because of some small business, she left the group, and entered the village alone. When the householders saw this, they said to each other: “This Khemā bhikkhunī walks alone for a reason. She wants to get a man.” The bhikkhunī then spent the night alone in that village, and didn’t return. The householders said again: “There’s a reason for her to spend the night alone. She really needs a man.”

At another time, the group-of-six bhikkhunīs and Thullanandā were wandering with a large group of bhikkhunīs through the wilderness in the Kosalan country. Then the group-of-six bhikkhunīs and Thullanandā bhikkhunī always walked behind alone off the road. When the bhikkhunīs saw that, they said: “Younger sisters, why do you walk behind, not with us together?” They answered: “Just go by yourselves, why should we take part in your business?” They then asked: “Have you not heard the Buddha lay down a precept that we should wander with a companion?” The group-of-six bhikkhunīs and Thullanandā answered: “Don’t you know us?” They answered: “We don’t know.” They said: “We walk behind for a reason. We want to get a man.”

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 does a bhikkhunī hitch up her robes and cross a body of water, walk alone to a village, spend the night alone, or walk with a companion and stay alone behind?” Then the bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus went and told the World-honored One. The World-honored One then for this reason gathered the bhikkhu sangha, and criticized these bhikkhunīs in countless ways: “What you did is wrong, is improper conduct, against the rules of renunciates, an impure practice, not to be followed and practised, shouldn’t be done. Why does a bhikkhunī hitch up her robes and cross a body of water alone, walk alone to a village, spend the night alone, or walk with a companion and stay alone behind?” Then, when the World-honored One had criticized these bhikkhunīs 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 crosses a body of water alone, enters a village alone, spends the night alone, or walks behind alone, she commits an immediate offense that should be given up, a saṅghādisesa.’”

Explanation

The meaning of “bhikkhunī” is as above.

“A body of water” means a river that one can’t cross alone. A bhikkhunī must look for another bhikkhunī to cross together. The bhikkhunī should gradually hitch up her robes as she enters the water, and wait for her companion. If the first bhikkhunī enters the water quickly so that her companion can’t reach her, it’s a saṅghādisesa. When she enters the water, she should hitch up her robes according to the water’s depth, and wait for her companion behind her. If she enters the water quickly, and doesn’t wait for her companion behind, it’s a thullaccaya. When she reaches the far shore, she should gradually lower her robes, and wait for her companion behind her. If she intentionally goes quickly, doesn’t lower her robes gradually when she climbs up the shore, and doesn’t wait for her companion behind her, it’s a thullaccaya.

A bhikkhunī should look for another bhikkhunī to walk to a village together. If a bhikkhunī walks to a village alone, whenever she reaches a village, it’s a saṅghādisesa. If there’s no village and she walks alone in a wilderness without a road for the distance of the sound of a drum, it’s a saṅghādisesa. If she walks alone and hasn’t yet reached a village, it’s a thullaccaya. If the distance is less than the sound of a drum, it’s a thullaccaya. If she walks alone within the territory of a village, it’s a dukkaṭa. If she makes preparations, wanting to go, but then doesn’t go, or if she joins with companion, wanting to go, but then doesn’t go, in all cases it’s a dukkaṭa.

When bhikkhunīs spend the night together, they should stay within arm’s reach of others. If a bhikkhunī spends the night alone, then whenever her flanks touch the ground, it’s a saṅghādisesa. Whenever she turns over, it’s a saṅghādisesa. If bhikkhunīs spend the night together in a village, when they lie down they should be within arm’s reach of each other. If they’re not within arm’s reach of each other, then whenever they turn around, each time is a saṅghādisesa.

When bhikkhunīs walk on a road together, they may not walk out of sight and earshot. If a bhikkhunī walks on a road out of sight and earshot, it’s a saṅghādisesa. If she’s out of sight but not out of earshot, it’s a thullaccaya. If she’s out of earshot but not out of sight, it’s a thullaccaya.

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 two bhikkhunīs cross a body of water together; if when she enters the water, she gradually hitches up her robes according to the water’s depth, and waits for her companion behind to enter the water; if when she crosses, she doesn’t go quickly, and waits for her companion; if when she climbs up the shore, she gradually lowers her robes, and waits for her companion behind; if she crosses by psychic powers; if she crosses by boat; if she crosses on a bridge; if she crosses by stepping on a plank; (if she crosses by stepping on stones;) Not all editions of the root text include stepping on stones.* if her companion bhikkhunī passes away, disrobes, or goes on a long journey; if she’s abducted by criminals, if her life is in danger, if her celibacy is in danger, if there’s a danger from savage animals, if she’s made to go by force, if she’s arrested and made to go, or if she’s washed away by water, the offense isn’t committed.

If two bhikkhunīs enter a village, if one companion bhikkhunī dies in between villages, or disrobes, or goes on a long journey, or is abducted by criminals, … , is washed away by water, all as above, the offense isn’t committed.

If two bhikkhunīs spend the night together, and are within arm’s reach, if one bhikkhunī goes to the toilet, or to learn suttas, or to recite suttas, if one wants to do walking meditation in a calm, solitary place, if one cooks curries or porridge or prepares rice for a sick bhikkhunī, if one passes away, disrobes, or goes on a long journey, if one is abducted by criminals, … is washed away by water, all as above, the offense isn’t committed.

If two bhikkhunīs walk together, and if they’re not out of sight and earshot, the offense isn’t committed. If one bhikkhunī goes to the toilet, or dies, disrobes, is abducted by criminals, … is washed away by water, as above, 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 seventh rule.)

Dharmaguptaka Vinaya, fascicle 22.