Confession 179

Origin Story

At that time, the bhikkhunīs didn’t pay respect to bhikkhus, didn’t welcome them, didn’t send them off, and didn’t ask them to sit down. The bhikkhus were angry and didn’t instruct them anymore. The bhikkhunīs were ignorant and without knowledge, and not able to train in the precepts. When the senior bhikkhunīs saw it, they criticized them in all kinds of ways, and told the Buddha of this. The Buddha gathered both sanghas because of this matter and asked the bhikkhunīs: “Did you really do this?” They answered: “We really did this, World-honored One.” The Buddha criticized them in all kinds of ways: “Haven’t I already taught the eight rules of respect: You should pay respect to bhikkhus? From now on, this precept should be recited thus:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī sees a bhikkhu and doesn’t get up, doesn’t pay respect, and doesn’t ask him to sit down, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

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

If she’s sick, or if they earlier held a grudge against and disliked each other, and didn’t talk with each other, the offense isn’t committed.