Confession 180

The 180th training precept: Keeping a wig adornment.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then Thullanandā bhikkhunī thought: “What kind of fun activity haven’t I done yet?” Then she saw a a prostitute keeping a wig adornment, being surrounded by men “who indulged in beauty”. The bhikkhunī went there and privately asked her: “How do you manage to survive?” She explained the matter fully to the bhikkhunī: “Only because of the wig do crowds of people love and value me, therefore I manage to survive.” The bhikkhunī thought: “This is a good idea. I’ll get what I need through this.” Then she made a wig, put it on her head, adorned her body, and stood next to that prostitute. Men “who indulged in beauty” came looking for some “happy time”. She asked for a high price and let them be close to her body. Then one man gave her that price and wanted to embrace the bhikkhunī. The prostitute thought: “If I don’t tell this man, I fear he’ll break the bhikkhunī’s precepts.” So she said: “Let her go, let her go. I’m right here.” When the man had let her go, the bhikkhunī took the money and left. The man chased after her, grabbed her hand, grasped at her head, and held the fake hair in his hand. The bhikkhunī left with his things, and he screamed out loudly: “A bald renunciate, practicing a vulgar, evil dhamma, is deceiving the world! She took my clothes and money, and quickly ran away!” The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha asked Thullanandā: “Did you really keep a wig adornment 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 keeps a wig adornment, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means Thullanandā etc.

“Keeping a wig adornment” means keeping fake head hair.

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

“Venerables, noble sangha, I’ve recited the 180 pācittiya rules. Now I ask the venerables: ‘Are you pure herein?’” (She speaks like this three times.)

“The venerables are pure herein, therefore you’re silent. I now remember it like this.” (End of the third section.)