Suspension 7

The 7th training precept: Going to lay houses alone.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then Thullanandā bhikkhunī went to lay houses during daytime alone without a companion, and taught the dhamma to householders. The bhikkhunīs said: “Don’t go alone to those houses during daytime. We fear that your celibacy will be in danger.” Thullanandā replied: “Did you not see the male perfume vendor who I kicked with my foot, and drew blood from his mouth?” The bhikkhunīs said: “Other people wouldn’t necessarily be as timid and weak as him.” The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha gathered the bhikkhunīs for this reason as before, asked if it was true, and criticized her, down to: “I’ll lay down another training precept. You should recite it like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī leaves the bhikkhunī monastery and goes to lay houses alone during daytime, it’s a saṅghādisesa.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means Thullanandā, or any other person.

If she goes to lay houses alone without a companion before sunset, she commits a saṅghādisesa. If she goes together with a sāmaṇerī, she commits a thullaccaya. If she goes together with a sikkhamānā, she incurs a dukkaṭa.