Confession 90

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Rājagaha. At that time, a bhikkhunī supporting Devadatta entered a supporter’s house, stood and secretly talked together with a group-of-six bhikkhu alone, and sent the bhikkhunī who had come with her away.

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 enter a lay house, and stand and secretly talk together with one bhikkhu alone?” 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 the bhikkhunī supporting Devadatta: “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 enter a lay house, and stand and secretly talk together with one bhikkhu alone?” 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 enters a lay house, and stands and secretly talks together with one bhikkhu alone, and sends the bhikkhunī who came with her away, because she seeks an opportunity for privacy, 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 enters a lay house, and stands together with one bhikkhu alone, it’s a dukkaṭa. If they talk together, it’s a dukkaṭa. If they secretly talk together, it’s a dukkaṭa. If, because she seeks an opportunity for privacy, she sends the bhikkhunī who came with her out of earshot, it’s a pācittiya. If she’s not out of earshot, it’s a dukkaṭa. (End of rule 90.)