Suspension 19

Origin Story

The Buddha was staying at Kapilavatthu in the Sakyan Banyan Tree monastery. Then, women from a Sakyan family, a mother and her daughter, went forth. The mother went forth with non-Buddhist renunciates. She said to the daughter: “We’re now still mother and daughter. Why do we live apart like this? You can come here, and we’ll live together.” Her daughter answered: “I’m not allowed to come without a reason. Please wait, when there’s a reason I’ll come.” At that, the daughter returned, and while quarreling with the other bhikkhunīs, said angrily: “I now renounce the Buddha, renounce the dhamma, renounce the sangha, renounce speaking, renounce living in community, renounce eating together, and renounce the discourses and treatises. I’m not a bhikkhunī, not a Sakyan follower. Non-Buddhist renunciates also have superior teachings and places to practise the monastic life. What use are these Sakyan renunciates to me? I’ll practise the monastic life with others.” The bhikkhunīs admonished her: “Venerable, don’t renounce the Buddha, the dhamma, and the sangha. … Don’t renounce being a Sakyan follower. Renouncing the Buddha isn’t good. … Renouncing to be a Sakyan follower isn’t good.” When she was admonished for the first time, she didn’t stop. At the second … third admonishment, she also didn’t stop.

The bhikkhunīs told Mahāpajāpatī, and she went to the World-honored One, and informed him of this matter. The Buddha said: “You should first go to a secluded place to admonish her three times, among a few people three times, and within the sangha three times to make her give up this matter. “Admonishing in a secluded place” means you should ask in a secluded place: ‘Did you really resentfully say: “I renounce the precepts, I renounce the Buddha, … What use are these Sakyan renunciates to me? I’ll practise the monastic life in another, superior place?”’ If she answers: ‘I really said this,’ then she should be admonished in a secluded place: ‘Don’t renounce the precepts and the Buddha, the dhamma, and the sangha, … the Sakyan renunciates. Renouncing the Buddha isn’t good. … Renouncing the Sakyan renunciates isn’t good. I now admonish you out of compassion, wanting to benefit you. One admonishment is over, two remain. Do you give up this matter?’ If she answers: ‘I don’t give it up,’ she should be admonished like this a second and third time. “Among a few people” are also three admonishment like this. If she doesn’t give it up, you should carry out a formal act to request permission within the sangha. You should ask as explained for the secluded place.” Still she didn’t stop.

For this reason, the bhikkhunīs went and informed the World-honored One. The Buddha said: “Summon that bhikkhunī.” When she came, he fully asked her about this matter: “Did you really do this?” She answered: “I really did this.” The Buddha said: “This is an unwholesome thing. … 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: “Convene all the bhikkhunīs living in the vicinity of Kapilavatthu. … Those who have already heard it should listen again:

Final Ruling

If a bhikkhunī resentfully wants to renounce the precepts, and says: ‘I renounce the Buddha, renounce the dhamma, renounce the sangha, renounce speaking, renounce living in community, renounce eating together, renounce the discourses and treatises, and renounce the Sakyan renunciates. What use are these Sakyan renunciates to me? There are other superior places. I’ll practise the monastic life there,’ the bhikkhunīs should admonish her: ‘Venerable, don’t resentfully renounce the precepts, and say: “I renounce the Buddha, … I renounce the Sakyan renunciates.” Renouncing the Buddha isn’t good.’ If she, when admonished by the bhikkhunīs like this, persists firmly, and doesn’t give it up, she should be admonished a second and a third time. If she gives up this matter, it’s fine. If not, this rule is a saṅghādisesa after three admonishments.”

Explanation

“A bhikkhunī” means like the Sakyan woman who wants to renounce the precepts, the Buddha, … the renunciates. “The bhikkhunīs” means the sangha, a few people, or one person. “Three admonishments” means in a secluded place three times, among a few people three times, and within the sangha three times. If she gives it up, it’s fine. If she doesn’t give it up, this rule is a saṅghādisesa after three admonishments. “A saṅghādisesa” is as explained above. If, when she’s admonished in a secluded place, she gives it up, it’s fine. If she doesn’t give it up, for each admonishment she breaks a minor vinaya rule. Among a few people, it’s also like this. Within the sangha, during the first admonishment, she breaks a minor vinaya rule. When the admonishment is over, it’s a thullaccaya. During the second admonishment, she also breaks a minor vinaya rule. When the admonishment is over, it’s a thullaccaya. During the third admonishment, it’s a thullaccaya. When the admonishment is over, it’s a saṅghādisesa. When she has broken the saṅghādisesa, all offenses from the secluded place, from among a few people, and from within the sangha are turned into one grave offense that’s cleared with the saṅghādisesa procedure. If she stops in between, then they should be dealt with according to the point where she stopped. This is what the World-honored One said.

May the noble sangha listen. The 19 saṅghādisesa rules have been recited; 12 immediate offenses and seven offenses after the third admonishment. The pātimokkha states that there are eleven immediate offenses and eight offenses after the third admonishment.* If a bhikkhunī has committed any of these offenses, she should undergo probation Mānatta.* for half a month before both assemblies. She then reaches the rehabilitation Abbhāna*. A sangha of 20 in both assemblies should rehabilitate her, if it pleases all the members of the assembly. If there’s one person less than 20, the bhikkhunī doesn’t count as rehabilitated, and the bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs should be criticized. This is called the right time. Are you pure herein? A second and third time, it’s asked again: Are you pure herein? You’re pure herein, therefore you’re silent. This matter is remembered thus.

Summary Verse

Being a messenger, two unfounded ones, disputing, walking alone, spending the night alone,

Without permission, a criminal, crossing a river, lifting oneself,

Accepting gifts from a man with a defiled mind, instructing others to receive gifts,

These 12 are immediate offenses. Splitting the sangha, and helping,

Resentfully slandering the sangha, speaking contrarily, living closely together,

Instructing to live together, angrily returning the precepts, the second chapter has been recited. The Pārājikas are counted as the first chapter.*