Confession 119

Origin Story

At that time, the bhikkhunīs gave the full ordination to students in the bhikkhunī sangha, let the night pass, and only then the bhikkhu sangha gave the ordination. During the night, the candidates became sick with diseases that obstruct the ordination, and the bhikkhu sangha didn’t give it anymore. 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 gives the full ordination to a student spread out over two days, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

From when she thinks about it up to when it’s not yet dawn, it’s a dukkaṭa. At dawn, it’s a pācittiya for the preceptor. For the other teachers and the sangha, it’s a dukkaṭa.

If the sangha doesn’t gather in harmony, or if the eight difficulties arise, the offense isn’t committed.