Confession 153

The 153rd training precept: Doing chores in a lay house.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then Thullanandā bhikkhunī went on almsround, entered someone’s house, and said to the lady of the house: “May you be free from illness. Please give me food.” The woman replied: “I’m currently not skilled in household chores. I don’t know what I should do.” The bhikkhunī said: “Sister, do you only know how to use needle and thread? Don’t you know how to carry out other household chores?” The woman said: “Noble one, do you know about household chores then?” The bhikkhunī said: “Which household chores would I not know?” The woman said: “If that’s so, then please help me.” The bhikkhunī said: “If I do it for you, will you offer me food?” She answered: “I will.” (The bhikkhunī) said again: “Will you also give to all my attendants and building guards?” She answered: “I also will.” (The bhikkhunī) then put down her robe and bowl, drew water from a well, checked for insects, swept everywhere, and washed the dishes. Then she prepared drinks, food, curries, meat broth, pickles, and vegetables. Having prepared everything, she washed her hands and feet, burned incense as an offering to the family’s deities and the earth god, and also scattered a food offering. She took food and returned to the monastery. At a later time, Mahāpajāpatī bhikkhunī also entered this house on almsround. The lady of the house saw her and said: “Noble one, do the household chores for me.” Mahāpajāpatī said: “Where have you seen a bhikkhunī that does household chores for lay people?” The lady said: “The noble Thullanandā previously did such and such chores in my house. Her work surpassed everyone else’s.” Mahāpajāpatī said: “How could a bhikkhunī come here and do someone’s housework?”

The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha asked Thullanandā: “Did you really do household chores for that lay person in this way?” She answered: “I really did.” The World-honored One criticized her, as explained in detail, down to: “I’ll lay down another training precept. You should recite it like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī does household chores for lay people, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means Thullanandā etc.

“Doing household chores for lay people” means doing worldly activites for householders.

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