Relinquishment With Confession 29

Origin Story

The Buddha was staying in Sāvatthī. At that time, there was a vendor of firewood, who rode in his horse carriage past a shop. The merchant asked him: “For how much do you sell this (wood)?” He answered: “One kārṣāpaṇa.” The merchant said: “Deliver this firewood to my house and offload it there. When you return here, I’ll give you the money.” Then when the seller of the wood drove his chariot past the bhikkhunī monastery, Thullanandā bhikkhunī asked him: “Long-lived One, do you have a buyer for this wood yet?” He answered: “I already have.” “How much did you get?” He answered: “One kārṣāpaṇa.” Then she said: “I give you two kārṣāpaṇas.” Because the vendor wanted to make profit, he then gave it to her. When he had offloaded the wood, he returned and passed by the shop. The merchant said: “Come and get your money.” He answered: “I’ve sold it to someone else.” (The merchant) asked: “For how much did you sell it?” (The firewood vendor) answered: “I received two kārṣāpaṇas.” (The merchant) asked: “Who took it?” (The firewood vendor) answered: “Thullanandā bhikkhunī.” The merchant was upset, and criticised her: “How can this renunciate waste money like this?”

When the bhikkhunīs heard this, they told Mahāpajāpatī, and she went to the World-honored One, and informed him of this matter. The Buddha said: “Summon that bhikkhunī.” When she came, he asked her: “Did you really, when you knew that someone else had already bought something, take it for a higher price?” She answered: “I really did this.” The Buddha said: “This is an unwholesome thing. Why did you, knowing that someone else had bought something, snatch and buy it? This is against the dhamma, against the vinaya, against the Buddha’s teaching. One can’t develop in wholesome states like this.” The Buddha told Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī: “Convene all the bhikkhunīs living in the vicinity of Sāvatthī. … Those who have already heard it should listen again:

Final Ruling

If a bhikkhunī knows that someone has bought something, but snatches and buys it, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya.”

Explanation

“A bhikkhunī” is as explained above. “Knowing” means she either knows herself or hears it from others. “Has bought” means like the merchant in the shop. If a bhikkhunī wants to buy an item, and knows that someone else has already bought it, it’s not allowed to snatch it as she pleases. She should wait, and if the first person doesn’t take it, she may take it. She should also ask the first person: “Do you have the intention to take it?” If they say: “I’ve the intention and the wish to take it,” they’re determined on this, and she may not take it. If they say: “I won’t take it after all,” and she takes it, there’s no offense. If bhikkhunīs buy a robe or a bowl and snatch it from each other, they break a minor vinaya rule. If within the sangha she raises the price to take it, there’s no offense, unless it’s from her preceptor or teacher. If a bhikkhu buys and item and snatches and intercepts it from other buyers, he breaks a minor vinaya rule. This is what was said.