Acknowledgment 1-8

Mahīśāsaka Vinaya, part 2.5, bhikkhunī vinaya, the pātidesanīya rules.

First Origin Story

At that time, the bhikkhunīs ate delicious ghee and often asked for it from people. The lay people criticized them: “Ghee is for people’s enjoyment, it’s what worldly people eat. Why don’t the bhikkhunīs seek the flavor of dhamma? They crave, are attached to, and are addicted to beauty, and they seek a beautiful appearance. What’s the difference to prostitutes? 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, 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.” When the Buddha had criticized them in all kinds of ways, he told the bhikkhus: “I now lay down a pātidesanīya rule for the bhikkhunīs. From now on, this precept should be recited thus:

First Preliminary Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī eats ghee, she should confess to the other bhikkhunīs: “I’ve fallen into an offense to be criticized. I now confess it to the venerables.” This is called an offense to be confessed.’”

Second Origin Story

Then the bhikkhunīs received ghee at sangha meals, when being invited to meals in families, and on almsround, and they didn’t dare to eat it. They told the Buddha of this. The Buddha gathered both sanghas because of this matter and told the bhikkhus: “I now allow the bhikkhunīs to eat ghee they’ve obtained without asking. From now on, this precept should be recited thus:

Second Preliminary Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī asks for ghee and eats it, that bhikkhunī should confess to the other bhikkhunīs: “I’ve fallen into an offense to be criticized. I now confess it to the venerables.” This is called an offense to be confessed.’”

Third Origin Story

There were sick bhikkhunīs who needed ghee and didn’t dare to ask. They told the Buddha of this. The Buddha gathered both sanghas because of this matter and told the bhikkhus: “I now allow sick bhikkhunīs to ask for ghee and eat it. From now on, this precept should be recited thus:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī, who isn’t sick, asks for ghee herself and eats it, that bhikkhunī should confess to the other bhikkhunīs: “I’ve fallen into an offense to be criticized. I now confess it to the venerables.” This is called an offense to be confessed.’”

Explanations

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

If a bhikkhunī asks for oil, honey, sugar, milk, curds, fish, or meat, all cases are as explained above.