Relinquishment With Confession 22

The 22nd training precept: Relinquishing the (kaṭhina) robe at the wrong time.

Origin Story

Location as before. The Buddha had instructed the bhikkhunīs to relinquish the kaṭhina robe. Then Thullā bhikkhunī wanted to relinquish it at the wrong time. She told the bhikkhunīs: “What’s the use of keeping this robe? It’s proper to relinquish and remove it. Until when do you still want to wait?” Then she exhorted them to relinquish it. The bhikkhunīs each took their five robes and went wandering among the people. Other bhikkhunīs asked: “Noble ones, could you possibly not have spread the kaṭhina robe?” They answered: “We spread it.” “If you spread it, why did you take your five robes and go?” Then they fully discussed this matter. The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha gathered the bhikkhunīs for this reason as before. He asked Thullanandā: “Did you really in this way make them relinquish the kaṭhina robe at the wrong time?” She answered: “I really did.” The World-honored One criticized her, as explained in detail, down to: “I’ll lay down another training precept. You should recite it like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī relinquishes the kaṭhina robe at the wrong time, it’s a nisssaggiya pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means Thullanandā, or any other bhikkhunī.

What is the kaṭhina robe time? From the 16th day of the 8th month to the first half of the first month of the year. Everything outside of this period is the wrong time.

“Relinquishing” means carrying out a formal act with a motion as second to relinquish it. Everyone incurs a nissaggiya pācittiya. The robe must be relinquished, and the offense should be confessed.

Herein, the factors of the offense: If they do it at the wrong time, it’s a pācittiya offense for all. There’s no offense if it’s stolen by criminals.