Confession 101

The 101st training precept: Wandering during the rains retreat before the invitation ceremony.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then Thullanandā bhikkhunī spent the rains retreat in Sāvatthī. When she hadn’t carried out the invitation ceremony yet, she went wandering among the people. The non-Buddhist renunciates, brahmin householders and lay people all criticized her: “Now look at this bhikkhunī, who doesn’t enjoy the going forth. At this time, there are insects everywhere on the ground. When wandering to villages, there’s endless killing. Various kinds of small birds also hide away in nests when the rainy season comes. But this renunciate mercilessly hurts living beings. Who would still have the notion to venerate and support her?” 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, during the rains retreat before the invitation ceremony, wanders among the people, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” is as above.

“The rains retreat” means the earlier or later three months of the rains retreat.

“Before the invitation ceremony” means she hasn’t carried out the procedure of the invitation ceremony.

“Wandering among the people” means going at will.

The explanations of the rule factors etc. are as explained in detail before.

There’s no offense: If there’s one of the eight difficulties and she wanders, there’s no offense.