Confession 128

Origin Story

At that time, the bhikkhunīs stood and talked with men in a dark place and defiled attachment arose in their minds. They weren’t happy to practise celibacy, and returned to lay life, or became non-Buddhist renunciates. 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 stands and talks with a man in a dark place, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

If they talk in a dark place, each word is a pācittiya.

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

If it’s a dubious and frightening place, or if the lamp suddenly goes out, the offense isn’t committed.