Sarvāstivāda Vinaya
Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga
Confession 91
Origin Story
The Buddha was in Rājagaha. At that time, a bhikkhunī supporting Devadatta entered a lay house, stood and secretly talked together with a lay man alone, and sent the bhikkhunī who had come with her away, because she was seeking an opportunity for privacy.
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, stand and secretly talk together with one lay man alone, and send the bhikkhunī who came with you away?” 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 enter a lay house, stand and secretly talk together with one lay man alone, and send the bhikkhunī who came with you away?” 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 lay man alone, and sends the bhikkhunī who came with her away, because she seeks to talk alone, 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 man 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 to talk alone, 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 91.)