Confession 159

The 159th training precept: Having a wound and making someone wrap and unwrap it repeatedly.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then a wound appeared on Sundarīnandā bhikkhunī’s right arm. She had a doctor summoned, and he made a skin ointment. He applied a lump of it to the wound and wrapped it with an old cloth. Not long after he had wrapped it, the bhikkhunī said: “It’s too tight, please unwrap it and loosen it.” The doctor then unwrapped it, and she said again: “It’s too loose.” In this way, she made him wrap and unwrap it repeatedly. The doctor became angry and said: “Noble one, I don’t care if the wound heals or not.” He left her and went away. The other bhikkhunīs asked: “Noble one, why did you make him wrap and unwrap it repeatedly?” She answered: “I love this person and want to talk with him, therefore I made him wrap and unwrap it.” The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha asked Sundarīnandā: “Did you really make him wrap and unwrap your wound repeatedly 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 a wound on her arm, and makes someone wrap and unwrap it repeatedly, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means Sundarīnandā etc.

“Having a wound on her arm” means a wound, ringworm, etc. has appeared.

“Making someone wrap and unwrap it repeatedly” means frequently making them wrap and unwrap it.

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

There’s no offense: If the wrap really is tight or loose, and she makes them unwrap and wrap it, the offense isn’t committed.