Acknowledgment 1-10

The fourth section: The pātidesanīya rules.

Venerables, these 11 pātidesanīya rules are recited every half-month in the precepts sutta.

Recite the summary verse:

Milk, curds, fresh butter,

Ghee, oil, sugar, honey,

Fish, meat, dried meat,

Obtaining from a family in training. The first 10 rules are specific to bhikkhunīs. The 11th is shared with the bhikkhus.*

First Origin Story

At Sāvatthī. Then the group-of-twelve bhikkhunīs, without being sick, went on almsround for themselves, asked for milk from others, and drank it as they liked. The non-Buddhist renunciates, and brahmin householders without faith and respect were all upset: “These bhikkhunīs don’t have pure conduct. They just nourish themselves, ask for milk from others, and having obtained it, they drink it themselves. Who wouldn’t enjoy it’s refined, pure, good taste?” The bhikkhunīs heard that these lay people were upset. The bhikkhunīs of few wishes fully told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha asked the bhikkhunīs: “Did you really, without being sick, ask for milk from others for yourselves in this way, and then drink it in lay houses as you liked?” They answered: “We really did.” The World-honored One criticized them, as explained in detail, down to: “I’ll lay down another training precept. You should recite it like this:

Preliminary Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī, who isn’t sick, goes to lay houses and asks for milk for herself, or has someone ask, and drinks it, that bhikkhunī should return to the residence outside the village, go to the bhikkhunīs, and tell each of them individually: “Venerable, I’ve committed a bad offense to be confessed, that shouldn’t be done. I now confess and repent.” This is called a pātidesanīya offense.’”

Second Origin Story

When the World-honored One had laid down a training precept for the bhikkhunīs in this way, at a later time, a bhikkhunī was sick. Other bhikkhunīs asked about the illness: “Noble one, are you recovering or not?” The sick bhikkhunī replied: “Previously, I consumed milk, and the illness subsided. Now the World-honored One has laid down a precept that it’s not allowed for a bhikkhunī to ask. How could the illness be cured?” Then for this reason, they told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha said: “I now allow that a bhikkhunī who is sick asks for milk, and drinks it as she likes. Previously, the precept didn’t allow it, but now it’s permitted again.” As explained in detail above, down to:

Final Ruling

“This is called a pātidesanīya offense, except when sick.”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means a bhikkhunī in this dhamma.

“Without being sick, going to lay houses and asking for milk for herself” means her body isn’t sick, and she requests milk from others.

“Or having someone ask, and eating it” means having other people ask.

“That bhikkhunī” means the bhikkhunī breaking this training precept.

“Should return to the residence outside the village” means going to the other bhikkhunīs.

“Telling each of them individually” means confessing to each of them individually.

“‘Venerable, I’ve committed a bad offense to be confessed’” means explaining the specifics of the committed offense.

“‘That shouldn’t be done’” means it’s against the dhamma.

“‘I now confess and repent’” means she discloses it herself and doesn’t hide it.

“This is called a pātidesanīya offense” means it refers to this matter.

“Except when sick” means she’s suffering.

If, without being sick, she asks and eats, she incurs a dukkaṭa offense for each of these. This is called a pātidesanīya offense.

If one who is sick asks, and one who isn’t sick eats it, the one who asks incurs a dukkaṭa, and the one who eats is without offense. If one who isn’t sick asks, and one who is sick eats it, the one who asks incurs a dukkaṭa offense, and the one who eats is without offense. If she asks for a sick one, and one who isn’t sick eats it, the one who asks is without offense, and the one who eats commits a pātidesanīya. If she asks for a sick one, and the sick one eats it, there’s no offense.

If a bhikkhunī asks for and obtains milk, and still asks for curds, there’s a dukkaṭa for asking. If she eats it, it’s a pātidesanīya. If a bhikkhunī obtains curds, and still asks for fresh butter, there’s a dukkaṭa for asking. If she eats it, it’s a pātidesanīya. If a bhikkhunī obtains fresh butter, and still asks for ghee, she incurs the offenses as before. If a bhikkhunī obtains ghee, and still asks for oil, it’s also as explained above. If a bhikkhunī obtains oil, and still asks for granulated sugar, the offenses are also as before. If a bhikkhunī obtains sugar, and still asks for honey and meat, “Meat” seems to be a mistake here. Meat is mentioned again below.* she incurs the offenses as before. If she obtains honey and meat, and still asks for fish, it’s also as explained above. If she obtains fish, and still asks for meat, it’s also as above. If she obtains meat, and still asks for dried meat, it’s also as above. If she obtains dried meat, and still asks for refined foods, it’s also as explained above. If she obtains refined foods and still asks for coarse foods, she incurs a dukkaṭa for each.

There’s no offense: If she arranges things for the sangha, if she’s mad, if her mind is distracted, and if she’s afflicted with illness. This is the first pātidesanīya rule.

In the same way, you should remember curds, fresh butter, ghee, oil, sugar, honey, fish, meat, and dried meat. For these 10 pātidesanīya rules, everyone who asks commits the offense, as explained in detail above.