Suspension 6

The 6th training precept: Staying overnight alone at a lay house.

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Rājagaha. Sumittā bhikkhunī falsely claimed real spiritual attainments, and confessed to the bhikkhus that she had broken the precepts. Then she returned to lay life, and over time became sick. She had a sister who was a bhikkhunī called Ñāṇa-mittā. Sumittā was severely sick and about to pass away. She sent a message to tell Ñāṇa-mittā: “I’m now sick and in distress, and about to pass away. Please come quickly to let me see you again.” Then Ñāṇa-mittā went there and that night, Sumittā passed away. Her husband had gone out for a while and returned at night. When he saw that his wife was dead, he beat his chest, wailed loudly, and said: “Who will raise the sons and daughters of my family?” His relatives replied: “This Ñāṇa-mittā, your sister-in-law, can be her substitute.” When Ñāṇa-mittā heard them, she thought: “If I reply, I fear that I’d be shamed.” So she remained silent. When morning came, Ñāṇa-mittā wanted to leave, and the husband said: “Sister-in-law, where are you going now? Please stay here and raise my sons and daughters. They’re your relatives. How could you not have compassion?”

The husband then came forward and wanted to seize Ñāṇa-mittā. The bhikkhunī screamed loudly and said: “If you and your sons and daughters all die together at the same time, how is that my problem?” Then she left and returned to the monastery. The bhikkhunīs saw her and asked: “With whom and where did you stay last night?” She replied: “Without a companion.” The bhikkhunīs said: “If you had encountered evil people, how could you not have been raped?” She answered: “If I had talked with him, I certainly would’ve been subjected to that transgression.” The bhikkhunīs asked and she explained it fully. The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha gathered the bhikkhunī sangha for this reason, and asked Ñāṇa-mittā: “Did you really stay overnight in another place away from the bhikkhunī monastery?” She answered: “I really did.” The Buddha said: “This isn’t what renunciate women should do.” The World-honored One criticized her as before, down to: “I’ll lay down another training precept. You should recite it like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī stays overnight alone in another place away from the bhikkhunī monastery, it’s a saṅghādisesa.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means this Ñāṇa-mittā, or any other person.

“Alone” means without a companion.

“Staying overnight in another place” means spending the night in another house, away from the original monastery. The explanations for the factors for committing this offense are as detailed above.