Confession 93

The 93rd training precept: Not investigating and sitting or lying on a bed or seat.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then the bhikkhunīs, when the rains retreat was over, wandered around and arrived at one village, according to the Buddha’s allowance: “When the rains retreat is over, bhikkhunīs should wander among the people.” Around dusk, they asked a householder for a place to spend the night. The householder replied: “The noble ones may stay in the guest hall.” Having understood that it was allowed, they didn’t discern that there already was someone who had arrived previously. Exhausted from the road, suffering, hot, and uncomfortable, they were unable to stay inside, so they went outside and slept there. In the middle of that night, wind and rain suddenly came up and darkened all directions. All of them were greatly alarmed, and they entered the hall together. They couldn’t see each other or the lay person who had been staying inside the hall first. The lay person then got up and took a bhikkhunī’s hand. The bhikkhunī was afraid and called out: “Who’s the scoundrel that’s holding my hand? King Pasenadi honors the bhikkhunīs, together with the queens and their entourage. How could he allow a fool to exert force on us?” She even told the judge, and pushed for an investigation to have the person’s hand cut off. The bhikkhunīs then went to Sāvatthī and informed the other bhikkhunīs of this matter. 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, in a secluded, dark place, sits or lies on a bed or seat without investigating, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” is as before.

“A secluded place” means that it’s concealed.

“Without investivating” means without examining.

“Sitting or lying” means when staying overnight.

The rest is as above. … they all incur a pācittiya offense.