Suspension 11

The 11th training precept: Claiming items of the dead.

Origin Story

Location as before. In this city, there was a householder whose family was very wealthy. Suddenly, he became very ill, and for a long time, he underwent medical treatment but didn’t recover. The householder knew that he wouldn’t live much longer, so he extensively practised charity and gave offerings to renunciates, brahmins, the poor, orphans, and widows. Then Thullanandā bhikkhunī at breakfast time put on her robe, took her bowl, entered his house on almsround, and said to the householder: “May you be free from illness. Are you at ease?” The householder said: “Noble one, I have no hope to live, but my mind is unaffected. All the wealth of my family, I’ve donated to cultivate merit.” The bhikkhunī said: “Respected one, I profoundly rejoice, this is suitable. So, I as a woman receive few offerings. When donating, give me something.” The householder replied: “I’ve already donated all my possessions. Noble one, why did you not come earlier?” The bhikkhunī said: “To make me leave your house empty-handed would be malicious.” The householder said: “Noble one, there’s nothing left. What do you want me to do?” The bhikkhunī said: “Respected one, you must give something.” At that time, the householder just had other people’s loan agreements which he then showed to the bhikkhunī: “Noble one, in my home there are just these contracts. If you need them, you can have them.” The bhikkhunī said: “Respected one, if you give them, I’ll take them with me.” She then took his contracts, and told the householder:

“Because of the merits of this gift,

The mind becomes beautifully adorned,

Always receiving wealth and possessions,

Attaining unsurpassed happiness.”

The householder said: “Noble one, these debtors’ families live in poor and inferior conditions. They can’t repay everything at once. Take as you like however much you manage to obtain, but don’t cause them trouble.” The bhikkhunī said: “Respected one, I’m a renunciate. How could I not be considerate and cause them trouble? That would be unreasonable.” Not long after, the householder passed away. When the bhikkhunī heard that he was dead, she arrested the debtors and dragged them out to the intersection of four roads. Brahmin householders saw it and were upset: “How can a bhikkhunī drag out debtors based on a contract of someone who has died?” 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, on the basis of someone else’s old contract, herself claims a dead person’s item for herself, it’s a saṅghādisesa.’”

Explanations

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

“On the basis of some else’s old contract” means that person’s loan agreement.

“Herself claiming a dead person’s item for herself” means after someone’s death, making claims from their contracts and wanting to make it one’s own property.

If she claims it, she incurs a saṅghādisesa. There’s no offense if she manages, chases, and claims it for the sangha.