Confession 85

First Origin Story

At that time, there was a junior bhikkhunī who obtained a cloth that wasn’t yet made into a robe. She had little knowledge, and didn’t know how to do it. She took it, went to Thullanandā bhikkhunī and asked her to do it. She answered: “I’m very busy and not able to do it for you.” (The junior bhikkhunī) took the cloth again, went to the other bhikkhunīs, and they made and completed it. Thullanandā asked her: “Who made it for you? Bring it and let me see if it’s according to the rules.” Then she showed it, and (Thullanandā) said: “This robe isn’t according to the rules. Please unsew it and take it apart quickly. I’ll redo it for you.” She then unsewed it and took it apart, (and Thullanandā) took it away, and didn’t redo it. The bhikkhunī wasn’t able to have it completed, and walked around wearing coarse, worn out robes. The robe that had been taken apart was being ventilated in the sun on the roof of the building. At that time, a fire broke out, and (the robe) was burnt, blown away by the wind, fell on the roof of a lay house, and set the house on fire. When the lay people saw that the fire had come from the bhikkhunī residence, they angrily criticized them: “We support these bhikkhunīs, and in return they become our enemy.” When the senior bhikkhunīs heard it, they criticized her in all kinds of ways, … “I now lay down a precept for the bhikkhunīs, as explained above. From now on, this precept should be recited thus:

First Preliminary Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī has unsewn another bhikkhunī’s robe herself, or had others unsew it, and doesn’t sew it back together, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Second Origin Story

There was also a bhikkhunī who unsewed another bhikkhunī’s robe, and wasn’t able to complete it within one day. After four to five days, it was finished. They told the Buddha of this matter. The Buddha gathered both sanghas because of this matter and told the bhikkhus: “I now allow the bhikkhunīs to unsew a robe and to complete it within four to five days. From now on, this precept should be recited thus:

Second Preliminary Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī has unsewn another bhikkhunī’s robe, or had others unsew it, and doesn’t complete it within four to five days, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Third Origin Story

There was also a bhikkhunī who unsewed another bhikkhunī’s robe, became sick, and wasn’t able to complete it. They told the Buddha of this. The Buddha gathered both sanghas because of this matter and told the bhikkhus: “I now allow the bhikkhunīs, having unsewn someone else’s robe, and being sick, to not complete it. From now on, this precept should be recited thus:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī has unsewn another bhikkhunī’s robe, and when she’s not sick, doesn’t complete it within four or five days, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

For a sikkhamānā and a sāmaṇerī, it’s a dukkaṭa.

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