Confession 98

Origin Story

At that time, the bhikkhunīs were staying in a monastery built by mother Visākhā. When the rains retreat had ended, they left without relinquishing the monastery to the owner. Later, a fire broke out there. People saw it and told mother Visākhā: “The bhikkhunī monastery you built is burnt by a fire.” She said: “Let it burn down. First, the bhikkhunīs went wandering without handing it over, and because of this it was burnt by fire. Later they returned, spoke at length about their lost things, and gave me a bad reputation.” Those bhikkhunīs later returned again, and mother Visākhā asked them: “Venerables, when you left, did you leave things in the monastery, or not?” They answered: “No.” Then she criticized them: “Why did you leave without returning the monastery to me? Because of this, it burnt down. If you had spoken with me, I’d have looked after it myself and this wouldn’t have happened.” When the senior bhikkhunīs heard it, they criticized them 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 the rains retreat has ended, leaves without returning the monastery to the owner, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

The remainder is as explained above.

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