Suspension 12

The 12th training precept: Just reinstating.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then there was a bhikkhunī called Confused Mind, who was prone to anger and often abused others with harsh words. Then the whole bhikkhunī sangha disliked her. When she went out on almsround and the bhikkhunīs saw that she wasn’t there, they gathered and spoke about her bad conduct. That bhikkhunī had a daughter called Tranquility. When she saw that people spoke about her mother’s transgressions, she went to her after she had returned from almsround and told her everything. When (the mother) heard what had been said, anger arose in her mind, and she decided to harrass the bhikkhunī sangha with coarse speech. The sangha investigated: “Who caused this conflict between the two sides?” They found out that Tranquility had told her mother, and the great sangha then carried out a formal act of suspension against Tranquility. The daughter cried and went to her mother, paid respect at her feet, and said: “The bhikkhunīs have carried out a formal act of suspension against me.” When Confused Mind heard this, she became even more angry, and said: “May the people of the country carry out a formal act of suspension against you all! I.e. she’s cursing the bhikkhunī sangha.*” Then she took her daughter, left the territory, and carried out a procedure of reinstatement. The bhikkhunīs said: “The sangha has carried out a formal act of suspension against your daughter. Why did you reinstate her outside the territory?” She answered: “The sangha did the procedure by force. If I reinstate her, how’s that a transgression?” They asked: “Where and with whom did you carry out the procedure?” She answered: “I reinstated her outside the territory with people.” The bhikkhunīs said: “How could it be suitable to carry out a procedure of reinstatement like this?” She answered: “Suitable or not, I’ve already done it. How is that your business?” The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha gathered the bhikkhunīs because of this matter 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 knows that the bhikkhunī sangha has carried out a formal act of suspension against a bhikkhunī, and just leaves the territory to carry out a procedure of reinstatement, it’s a saṅghādisesa.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means Confused Mind, or any other bhikkhunī.

“Knowing … against a bhikkhunī” means Tranquility.

“The bhikkhunī sangha” means this bhikkhunī sangha of the disciples of the Tathāgata.

“Carrying out a formal act of suspension” means a formal act with a motion as fourth.

“Just leaving the territory to carry out a procedure of reinstatement” means the procedure of a formal act of reinstatement. She incurs a saṅghādisesa. These are the immediate offenses.

Herein, what are the factors for committing this offense? If a bhikkhunī just acts in such a way, leaves the territory, and carries out a reinstatement, she incurs a saṅghādisesa.