Relinquishment With Confession 24

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Rājagaha. At that time, the bhikkhunīs supporting Devadatta asked for gold and silver for themselves. The householders asked: “What do you renunciates use money for? According to your bhikkhunī rules, you should ask for rice and curries, lamps, candles, firewood, and grass.” The bhikkhunīs said: “You householders don’t know anything. If we ask for drinks, food, lamps, candles, firewood, and grass, these requests are called ‘even though much is obtained, the merit is small’. If we ask for gold and silver, these requests are called ‘little is obtained, but the merit is large.’” The householders angrily criticized them: “These bhikkhunīs say of themselves: ‘We’re virtuous and have merit’, but they ask for gold and silver for themselves, like queens and wives of high officials.”

Among the bhikkhunīs were those of few wishes, who knew moderation and practised the austerities. When they heard of this matter, their minds weren’t pleased, and they criticized them with all kinds of reasons: “How can you be called bhikkhunīs when you ask for gold and silver from householders for yourselves?” Having criticized them with all kinds of reasons, they explained it to the Buddha in detail. The Buddha gathered both sanghas because of this matter. He knew, and intentionally asked the bhikkhunīs supporting Devadatta: “Did you really do this?” They answered: “We really did this, World-honored One.” The Buddha criticized them with all kinds of reasons: “How can you be called bhikkhunīs when you ask for gold and silver for yourselves?” Having criticized them with all kinds of reasons, he said to the bhikkhus: “For 10 benefits, I’ll lay down a precept for the bhikkhunīs. From now on, this precept should be recited thus:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī asks for gold and silver for herself, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A nissaggiya pācittiya” means that this gold and silver should be relinquished, and the pācittiya offense should be confessed.

Herein, this is an offense: If a bhikkhunī asks for gold and silver for herself, she incurs a nissaggiya pācittiya. Whenever she asks, she incurs a nissaggiya pācittiya. If she asks for the Buddha, or for the sangha, or if someone gives on their own without her asking, the offense isn’t committed. (End of rule 24.)