Confession 135

The 135th training precept: Being stingy with offerings, drinks, and food.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then the bhikkhunīs put on their robes and took their bowls at breakfast time, and went on almsround in order. Afterwards, they returned to the monastery. Then Thullā bhikkhunī, because of a craving for much food, was unable to sleep during the earlier and later parts of the night, so she slept in. Every day at sunrise, the bhikkhunīs went on almsround. When they returned to the monastery, Thullā bhikkhunī saw them and thought: “Today these bhikkhunīs went on almsround very early. I can’t talk to them now. It’s suitable to use skillful means to go on almsround first, and make them go later.” At the time of the instruction, she said: “You stole someone’s food and drinks so they were unable to sleep during the whole night. You only thought about food and drinks, and didn’t think about the meaning of the dhamma, didn’t serve your preceptor, didn’t pay respect to the Buddha, didn’t polish the sacred spaces, nor praise and recite suttas. You only remembered to get up early, take your bowls, and go on almsround. What kind of practice is this?” When the bhikkhunīs heard this, they answered: “Noble one, what you’ve said was truly wholesome”, and they didn’t dare to go on almsround early. Then Thullā bhikkhunī, on another day, when it was just getting light, put on her robes, took her bowl, and entered the city on almsround. Then there was a brahmin who was attached to auspicious signs and wanted to go to someone’s place. Just as he left the city, he saw her at the gate and became angry. Then they jostled each other, and she was beaten severely by him. 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 is stingy with offerings, drinks, and food, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means Thullanandā, or any other bhikkhunī.

“Being stingy with offerings, drinks, and food” means being stingy with someone’s offered items.

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

Past Life Story

Then all the bhikkhus had doubts, and they asked the World-honored One: “Venerable, observing Thullanandā bhikkhunī being stingy with offerings, drinks, and food, it’s because of her own craving mind that she was beaten severely by the brahmin.” The Buddha told the bhikkhus: “Not just now did this bhikkhunī get beaten severely by someone because of a craving mind. In the past, it was also like this. Listen carefully. In the distant past, there was a great myna bird who saw a cart with sesame on the road ahead which was turned over and tilted to one side. The other mynas wanted to come and feed there. The great myna said: “Don’t pick up this sesame on the side of the road. It’s around dusk. Surely carts, vehicles, riding horses, elephants, or cattle will pass by there, and will trample and kill you.” The other birds answered: “As you say.” And they all scattered and flew away. Having instructed them, he returned alone at night to eat that sesame. Then a cart passed by, and because of craving for food, he wasn’t watching out, was run over by the cart, and died. Then the gods spoke this verse:

Without wisdom and liberation himself,

He energetically looks after and instructs others;

Eating sesame at night out of craving,

He meets with the pain of the cart’s wheel.

“Bhikkhus, therefore, whatever you say, you should act as you speak. You should train like this.”