Confession 90

The 90th training precept: Beating one’s chest.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then the bhikkhunīs quarreled with each other and pointed out each other’s faults. Out of anger, each of them then beat their own chest, and screamed in pain. The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha asked and criticized, as explained in detail, down to: “I’ll lay down another training precept. You should recite it like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī out of anger beats her own chest and gives rise to pain, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means a bhikkhunī in this dhamma.

“Out of anger beating one’s own chest” means hearing hurtful things, not being able to endure them, beating one’s chest with the hand, and giving rise to extreme pain.

As above … if they do these things, they all incur a pācittiya offense.

Recite the 10th summary verse:

Cursing, not investigating a matter,

Sitting on a bed, made of tree gum,

Four rules about lay houses,

Not looking after the sick, lying down together.