Confession 163

Origin Story

At that time, the bhikkhunīs spun thread. The lay people criticized them: “These people rely on others for robes and food. Don’t they think about practising the path to repay the gifts of faith? Why do they spin thread? 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 spins thread, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

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

If she makes a waistband, a meditation belt, a sling bag, or thread to sew robes, the offense isn’t committed.

(160.) This is actually the 163rd precept. The numbering is out of alignment.*