Suspension 15

The 15th training precept: Living in chaos.

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Sāvatthī. There were two bhikkhunīs: One called Lovely, and the second called Lovely’s Follower, who lived in chaos, sometimes acting frivolously, playing and laughing, and sometimes beating each other. The bhikkhunīs said: “Sisters, don’t live in chaos, sometimes acting frivolously, playing and laughing, sometimes beating each other. When you live in chaos, you let wholesome states decline and won’t be able to make them grow. You should live apart. When you live apart, you’ll make wholesome states grow, not decline anymore.” When the bhikkhunīs had instructed them like this, they didn’t follow the admonishment. Then, for this reason, the bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha said to the bhikkhunīs: “You should admonish them in a secluded place”, as explained in detail above. Even though the bhikkhunīs admonished them, they still didn’t repent and give it up. (The bhikkhunīs) again told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha said to the bhikkhunīs: “You should carry out a formal act with a motion as fourth for opposing the sangha’s admonishment against Lovely and Lovely’s Follower bhikkhunīs, or against any other such sangha members. You (should) gather the sangha as before, and one bhikkhunī carries out the motion:

Saṅghakamma

‘Venerable bhikkhunīs, may the sangha listen. These two bhikkhunīs Lovely and Lovely’s Follower live in chaos, sometimes acting frivolously, playing and laughing, and sometimes beating each other. The bhikkhunīs admonished them in a secluded place: “Don’t live in chaos, acting frivolously, playing and laughing. When you live in chaos, you let wholesome states decline and won’t be able to make them grow. You should live apart. When you live apart, wholesome states grow, and don’t decline anymore.” The two held firmly on to it, didn’t give it up, and said: “This thing is true, everything else is false.” If the right time has come for the bhikkhunī sangha to allow it, the bhikkhunī sangha should approve to carry out a formal act with a motion as fourth against these two bhikkhunīs Lovely and Lovely’s Follower for not giving up living in chaos. This is the motion.’ Next, carry out the announcements according to the pattern of the motion.”

Origin Story (continued)

When the bhikkhunīs had received these instructions, they then admonished the two bhikkhunīs in a formal act with a motion as fourth. Then they held firmly on to it, didn’t give it up, and said: “This is really true, everything else is false.” Then the bhikkhunīs for this reason 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 them, down to: “I’ll lay down another training precept. You should recite it like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī lives in chaos together with another bhikkhunī, acting frivolously, playing and laughing, the bhikkhunīs should say to those bhikkhunīs: “Sisters, don’t live in chaos, acting frivolously, playing and laughing. When you live in chaos, you let wholesome states decline and won’t be able to make them grow. You should live apart. When you live apart, you’ll make wholesome states grow, not decline anymore.” When the bhikkhunīs admonish them like this and they give it up, it’s fine. If not, they should again admonish them earnestly and correctly three times. They should reprove them according to the instructions to make them give up this matter. If they give it up, it’s fine. If not, it’s a saṅghādisesa.’”

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means Lovely and Lovely’s Follower, or any other bhikkhunī.

“Living in chaos” means not living apart.

“Acting frivolously, playing and laughing” means heedless with body and mind, chatting and laughing loudly.

“The bhikkhunīs should say” means bhikkhunīs in this dhamma, and it means this individual admonishment according to the instructions as explained in detail.

If they give it up, it’s fine. If not, (the bhikkhunīs) should do three admonishments in a formal act with a motion as fourth, as explained in detail.

“A saṅghādisesa” means an offense as explained before.

Herein, what are the factors for committing this offense? If when the bhikkhunīs admonish them individually, they don’t give up this matter, they incur a dukkaṭa each time. If when (the sangha) carries out the formal act with a motion as forth to admonish them according to dhamma, according to vinaya, according to the Buddha’s instruction, they give it up, it’s fine. If they haven’t given it up when the motion is finished, they incur a thullaccaya offense. When (the sangha) has carried out the first announcement, they incur the same offense as before. When (the sangha) has done the second announcement, they also incur the same offense as before. If they haven’t given it up by the time the third announcement is finished, they incur a saṅghādisesa. If (the sangha) does it against the dhamma in a harmonious assembly, if they do it according to dhamma in an unharmonious assembly, if they do it with what resembles dhamma in a harmonious assembly, if they do it with what resembles dhamma in an unharmonious assembly, if it’s not according to dhamma, according to vinaya, according to the Buddha’s instruction, and they maintain this procedure, (the offenders) are without any offense. If those bhikkhunīs, while sitting on their seats, tell the sangha: “Venerables, I, bhikkhunī So-and-so, have committed a saṅghādisesa offense”, it’s fine. If they don’t say that, or if the offense hasn’t been fully confessed according to dhamma, and the other bhikkhunīs carry out the motion and announcements and complete the procedure with a motion as fourth, each of them incurs a dukkaṭa offense. (I believe this means that if the procedure is faulty but the offender accepts it and says it’s a saṅghādisesa, then it’s ok. If she doesn’t say it, the other bhikkhunīs incur a dukkata for a wrong procedure.)* Also without offense are the first offender, one who is mad, one whose mind is distracted, and one who is afflicted with illness.