Confession 154

The 154th training precept: Moving seats and beds around.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then Thullanandā bhikkhunī taught the bhikkhunīs. She sent the people, who came to receive the dhamma, to move seats and beds and place them outside the building. Then she had them move them again and set them up outside the gate, or made them put them on the porch, or on the roof of the building. The bhikkhunīs were all exhausted, tired, and distressed, and they complained to each other: “We’re moving beds and seats around day and night, and haven’t received any teaching.” The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha asked Thullanandā: “Did you really make other bhikkhunīs move beds and seats around 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 has other bhikkhunīs move seats and beds around, and makes them exhausted, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means Thullanandā etc.

“Having them move seats and beds around” means sending bhikkhunīs to lift and carry things, and causing them to be tired.

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