Confession 94

Origin Story

At that time, householders invited Khemā bhikkhunī to enter the rains retreat in Sāvatthī and said: “If you accept our invitation, we’ll support you at the right time.” Then she accepted their invitation. Thereupon, she stayed for long, and didn’t wander elsewhere anymore. These householders were upset and said: “We should be doing other things. This bhikkhunī doesn’t know how to consider properly, and doesn’t understand she should leave. They always say that they’ve few wishes and know moderation, but now she has no limit.” 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:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī, when an invitation for the rains retreat is over, doesn’t leave for one night, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

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

If she’s sick, if she’s afraid, if there’s an unlimited invitation, or if she hasn’t received an invitation to enter the rains retreat there, and doesn’t leave, the offense isn’t committed.