Confession 148

Origin Story

At that time, the bhikkhunīs worked at the houses of their aquaintances. The householders criticized them: “These people gave up the work at their original households, and work in other people’s houses! This isn’t the practice of renunciates. They’ve broken the rules of 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 does work at a lay house in exchange for food and drinks, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

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

If it’s out of compassion, or if she’s forced, the offense isn’t committed.