Confession 86

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Sāvatthī. At that time, Thullanandā bhikkhunī had a bad character and liked to be angry with the virtuous bhikkhunīs. The virtuous bhikkhunīs didn’t like to stay together with her. She tricked a bhikkhunī who didn’t know about this: “Come and stay with me. Whatever you need, I’ll give to you.” That bhikkhunī answered: “Okay.” Thullanandā bhikkhunī liked to go in and out of people’s houses, and she had many acquaintances. When it was raining, she got up early, went to someone’s house, and from that house went to another. At sunset, her robes and blankets all wet, like an Aluoluo bird, she returned to her residence and said: “My feet hurt, my calves hurt, my flanks hurt, and my back hurts.” The bhikkhunī who didn’t know said: “Where are you coming from?” She answered: “I went from a certain house to a certain other house.” (The other) said: “Did you attend to matters of the Buddha or the sangha?” She answered: “I didn’t attend to that.” “If you didn’t attend to matters of the Buddha or the sangha, why did you go out in the rain? Even busy lay people don’t go out in the rain. You’re unskillful, why did you go out in the rain?” Thullanandā bhikkhunī said: “Are you my preceptor or teacher? Why do you lecture me? When I summoned you earlier, did I want you to lecture me? Go far away!” That bhikkhunī was old, sick, and without strength. Thullanandā bhikkhunī dragged her out by force, and she nearly died.

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 yourself summon another bhikkhunī: ‘Good woman, come and stay with me. Whatever you need, I’ll give to you’, and later angrily drag her out?” 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 yourself summon another bhikkhunī: ‘Good woman, come and stay with me. Whatever you need, I’ll give to you’, and later angrily drag her out?” 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 says to another bhikkhunī: “Good woman, come and stay with me in my room,” but later, angry and dissatisfied, either drags her out herself, or has others drag her out, and says: “Go far away. Don’t stay here,” doing it for this reason and no other, 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, angry and dissatisfied, either drags her out herself, or has others drag her out, both are pācittiyas. If she’s not able to drag her out, it’s a dukkaṭa. Whenever she drags her out herself, or has others drag her out, she incurs a pācittiya. If she’s not able to get her out, it’s a dukkaṭa. (End of rule 86.)