Relinquishment With Confession 30

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Sāvatthī. At that time, the cold of the winter passed and summer came. Dhammadinnā bhikkhunī wore a heavy robe to go on almsround, with sweat streaming down her face and clouding her eyes. When a merchant saw it, he went to the generals, and said: “Village Chiefs, you’ve obtained prosperity because of bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā. Can’t you each make a light robe? This bhikkhunī now during the summer wears a thick robe to go on almsround, with sweat streaming down her face and clouding her eyes. If you can’t each make a light robe for her, you should make one robe together and give it.” Because the merchant caused pride to arise in the generals’ minds, they all said: “We’ll make one together and give it.” Then they summoned the bhikkhunī and asked: “What kind of robe do you need? We’ll give as you wish.” She answered: “I need a robe worth 250 coins.” Then the generals bought it according to her wish and gave it. This bhikkhunī wore this robe to go on almsround. The householders criticized her: “These bhikkhunīs say of themselves: ‘We’re virtuous and have merit’, but they wear an expensive light robe to go on almsround, 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 her with all kinds of reasons: “How can you be called a bhikkhunī when you wear an expensive light robe to go on almsround?” Having criticized her 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 that bhikkhunī: “Did you really do this?” She answered: “I really did this, World-honored One.” The Buddha criticized her with all kinds of reasons: “How can you be called a bhikkhunī when you wear an expensive light robe to go on almsround?” Having criticized her 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 wants to ask for a light robe, she should ask for one up to a value of two and a half coins. If she asks for a more expensive one, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“A coin” means a large coin, up to a value of sixteen small coins.

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

Herein, this is an offense: If a bhikkhunī asks for a light robe that’s worth more than two and a half coins, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. Whenever she asks, she incurs a nissaggiya pācittiya. (End of rule 30.)