Confession 87

Origin Story

The Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī. At that time, Thullanandā bhikkhunī quarreled with the other bhikkhunīs, and she cursed them by swearing oaths such as the “namo Buddhāya,” swearing on the Buddha, swearing on the teachers, and swearing on the robe: “If I did this, may I not die in robes. May I not reach the end of suffering, may I commit the crime of killing my parents, may I commit the offense of ingratitude, may I commit the offense of slandering wise noble ones, may I enter into hell or fall into the ghost or animal realms. If I did such a thing, then may I enter into these existences. But if you did such a thing, then may you enter into these existences.”

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 do this?” She answered: “I really did this.” The Buddha said: “This is an unwholesome thing. Why did you, a renunciate, speak curses by swearing? This is against the dhamma, against the vinaya, against the Buddha’s teaching. One can’t develop in wholesome states like this. … Those who have already heard it should listen again:

Final Ruling

If a bhikkhunī curses herself or others by swearing, it’s a pācittiya.”

Explanation

“A bhikkhunī” is as explained above. “Cursing herself by swearing” means the namo Buddhāya, swearing on the Buddha, or swearing on the teachers: “If I did such a thing, may I incur an offense like Devadatta, an offense of false speech, an offense of ingratitude, an offense of slander. If I did such a thing, may my monastic life not be successful, may I not die in robes, and may I enter into hell or fall into the animal or ghost realms. But if you slandered me, then may you incur these offenses.” Swearing like this is a pācittiya. If a bhikkhu swears like this, he breaks a minor vinaya rule. This is what the World-honored One said.