Confession 100

The 100th training precept: Two bhikkhunīs lying down together on one bed.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then, out of unwholesome desire, hightened desire, two bhikkhunīs were together in one bed, and amused themselves together like a man and a woman. One bhikkhunī later became pregnant, and when the days and months had elapsed, she gave birth to a mass of flesh without sense faculties, hands and feet. When the bhikkhunīs heard it, they expelled her and made her leave the monastery. The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha said: “You don’t need to expel her for now. You should closely investigate. You should place this mass of flesh out in the sun. If it dissolves, she wasn’t really pregnant. If it doesn’t dissolve, she was really pregnant.” According to the Buddha’s instructions, the bhikkhunīs placed it out in the sun, and it completely disappeared. 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 two bhikkhunīs lie down together on one bed, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

When the World-honored One had laid down a training precept for the bhikkhunīs like this, a group of bhikkhunīs were wandering, and at dusk, asked a householder for a place to stay overnight. The householder allowed them (to stay) and gave them one large bed. One bhikkhunī stayed there alone, and the other bhikkhunīs asked again. The householder replied: “In this house, there are many people, and there’s no other extra (bed). Why are the noble ones pressing me for unshared beds?” The bhikkhunīs said: “The World-honored One doesn’t allow bhikkhunīs to lie down on a bed together.” Because of this matter, the bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha said: “If they obtain a large bed that’s hard to carry and lift up, bhikkhunīs may stay together. They should make a barrier out of a robe, and sleep with a firm mind. They may not touch each other. If they set up a barrier in a small bed, they may also sleep together.

Recite the 11th summary verse:

Two rules about the rains retreat, two about danger,

Deva temples, not enough vassa,

Taking on students, two rules about married women,

The sangha hasn’t given (allowance) without limit yet.