Confession 197

Origin Story

At that time, the bhikkhunīs themselves wove robes. The lay people criticized them: “Why don’t the bhikkhunīs think about practising the path. They weave themselves, like weavers.” 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 weaves a robe herself and wears it, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

If she weaves by passing a weaving shuttle back and forth, each pass is a pācittiya.

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

If she weaves a waistband or a meditation belt, the offense isn’t committed.