Confession 78

The 78th training precept: Sprinkling water on sangha members.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then there was a householder, who had been married for a long time but still didn’t have any children. His relatives all died and his wealth was used up. Poor, alone, and old, without anyone to complain to, with his cheeks propped up in his palms, he thought: “I’m now old. Of what use is wealth? I should go forth and search for a superior state.” He told his wife: “Respected one, I wish to go forth. What do you want to do?” The wife said: “I’ll go forth too.” Then he took his wife to Mahāpajāpatī and said: “Noble one, this is my wife. Because she’s seeking the going forth, we came to inquire with you.” Then Mahāpajāpatī gave her the going forth. The husband also went to the Teacher and went forth. He thought: “I and she previously made an agreement with each other i.e. the marriage contract.*, and we often talked to each other. Let me now go and see her.” Having thought this, he went to the bhikkhunīs’ place. That bhikkhunī saw him coming in the distance, came out herself to welcome him, and set out a seat. The bhikkhu sat down, with the bhikkhunī at his side, to speak about the marvellous dhamma. Having heard it, he wanted to leave.

It’s in a woman’s nature to amass things, and to accumulate all the things she obtains in her room. The bhikkhunī then said: “Please stay briefly and receive a share of my food.” She took food and drinks, and gave them to the bhikkhu. When the bhikkhunī fanned him from the front and took a water pitcher, the bhikkhu began to laugh. The bhikkhunī then asked: “Why did you laugh?” The bhikkhu answered: “In the house, you served me, and now you again do it likewise. Therefore I laugh.” Then the bhikkhunī became angry and replied: “I devoutly offered to make a field of merit. But you, on the contrary, laugh.” Then she scooped up water with her hand, sprinkled it on the bhikkhu, and hit him with the pitcher. The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha asked and criticized, as explained in detail above, down to: “I’ll lay down another training precept. You should recite it like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī sprinkles water on a senior monastic, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A senior monastic” means one gone forth previously, with more seniority.

“Sprinkling water” means sprinkling water on their body.

“Pācittiya” is as before.

If she sees that someone has fainted and she sprinkles water on them, there’s no offense.