Confession 165

Origin Story

At that time, the bhikkhunīs lay out the owners’ sitting mats and bedding in lay houses, or had others lay them out. When they left, they didn’t pick them up themselves, and didn’t instruct others to pick them up. The lay people criticiized them: “Why do the bhikkhunīs lay out people’s sitting mats and bedding, and don’t pick them up again when they leave. We’re always acting as these people’s slaves!” 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 goes to a lay house and lays out the owners’ sitting mats and bedding, or has others lay them out, and when she leaves doesn’t pick them up, or instructs others to pick them up, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

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

If she tells someone to pick them up, the offense isn’t committed.