Confession 168

Origin Story

At that time, an abscess grew on the inside of Bhaddā Kāpilānī’s thigh. Without informing the sangha, she just had a male doctor open it, remove the pus, wash it, and apply medicine. When the senior bhikkhunīs saw it, they criticized her: “You’re already free from desire, therefore you can do this! If you weren’t yet free from desire, wouldn’t you’ve committed a great offense?” … “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 without informing the sangha, just has a man treat an illness, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

If she wants to have a man treat an illness, she should strike the bell to gather the sangha. When he comes to the sick person, she should wrap her body with a robe and just leave the place that needs treatment open.

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

If she has a woman treat it, the offense isn’t committed.