Confession 78

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Sāvatthī. At that time, Thullanandā bhikhunī threw excrement and urine over a wall. This monastery was close to a major road, and just then king Pasenadi’s high official Maṇi, who was wearing clean clothes, passed by on this road, and the excrement fell on his head. This high official had been scolded by the king just then. A brahmin knowledgeable in signs was walking behind the high official and said: “Quickly wash your head and return to the king. This is an auspicious sign, you must receive a large benefit.” When the high official then had washed his head and gone to the king, the king happily reinstated him to his original position. The bhikkhunīs heard that Thullanandā bhikkhunī had thrown excrement and urine over a wall, that it had fallen on the head of king Pasenadi’s high official, and that because it had soiled the high official’s head, the king had given him back his original position. (They thought:) “This high official Maṇi is fierce and has no compassion. Who knows what kind of trouble he’ll create for us?” With this thought, out of fear, all bhikkhunīs except for the old and sick ones went away. Then the high official Maṇi thought: “I’ve obtained my original position, all thanks to the incident at the bhikkhunī monastery. I’ll go and make the bhikkhunīs comfortable.”

The high official Maṇi then went to the bhikkhunī monastery. When he saw that there were few bhikkhunīs, he asked the old and sick ones: “Why are there so few of the bhikkhunī sangha here?” The bhikkhunīs answered: “Don’t you know that?” He answered: “I don’t know.” The bhikkhunīs said: “Thullanandā bhikkhunī threw excrement and urine over a wall, and king Pasenadi’s high official Maṇi was passing by on that road and it fell on his head. The king has given him back his old position, and this person is fierce and has no compassion. The bhikkhunīs thought: ‘Who knows what kind of trouble he’ll create for us?’ Thinking thus, out of fear, the bhikkhunīs all went away. We’re old, sick, and without strength, therefore we can’t go.” The high official said: “King Pasenadi’s high official Maṇi, that’s me. Don’t be afraid, I’ll offer you food and drinks, firewood, grass, lamps, candles, robes, and freedom from fear.”

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 throw excrement and urine over a wall?” 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 Thullanandā 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 throw excrement and urine over a wall?” 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 throws excrement and urine over a wall, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“Pācittiya” means burn, cook, cover, obstruct. If she doesn’t confess the offense, it can obstruct the path.

Herein, this is an offense: If a bhikkhunī throws excrement and urine over a wall, it’s a pācittiya. Whenever she throws it, she incurs a pācittiya. If two bhikkhunīs defecate and urinate into one receptacle, and one person lifts it up and hands it to the other, who throws it over the wall, for the one who lifts it, it’s a dukkaṭa, and for the one who throws it, it’s a pācittiya. If a bhikkhunī throws with the hand, it’s a pācittiya. If she wraps it in grass or earth and throws it over a wall, it’s a dukkaṭa. (End of rule 78.)