Confession 144

Origin Story

At that time, the bhikkhunīs recited texts on medical treatments. The lay people criticized them: “These people just study medicine, they don’t have the intention to seek the path. Why don’t they recite and read out the Buddha’s suttas?” 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 recites texts on medical treatments, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

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

If she’s sick herself, if it’s out of compassion, if she’s forced to heal someone and reads it out, the offense isn’t committed.