Confession 100

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Rājagaha. At that time, the bhikkhunīs supporting Devadatta were old residents and virtuous bhikkhunīs were guests. Then the old bhikkhunīs went to welcome them, took their robes and bowls, and they greeted each other, they gave them hot water to wash their feet, gave them oil to rub on the feet, and gave them good beds. The guest bhikkhunīs said: “Light a lamp.” The old bhikkhunīs said: “What do you want to do?” The guest bhikkhunīs said: “In the first part of the night, we’ll sit in meditation, recite suttas, and chant mantras.” The old bhikkhunīs said: “You’ve walked on the road and are very tired, just lie down.” Having said that, they then lay down themselves. The guest bhikkhunīs thought: “How could we lie down without sitting in meditation, reciting suttas, and chanting mantras in the first part of the night?” Then they lit a lamp. When they had sat in meditation, recited suttas, and chanted mantras, they wanted to lie down. When the bhikkhunīs supporting Devadatta heard the sound, they woke up and asked: “Good women, what are you doing?” They answered: “Having sat in meditation, recited suttas, and chanted mantras, we want to lie down.” The old bhikkhunīs said: “Good women, sleeping is without fruit, without reward. The Buddha praised not sleeping, and criticized sleeping. Now we’re awake, not lying down, not sleeping.” Then they sat extending one foot. cf. the rule about not sitting cross-legged.*

The virtuous bhikkhunīs thought: “How could we lie down in the lamp light?” The old bhikkhunīs sat in meditation, recited suttas, and chanted mantras in the middle part of the night. When the last part of the night came, they lay down. The guest bhikkhunīs thought: “How could we lie down in the last part of the night?” The guest bhikkhunīs were very tired from the journey and because they weren’t able to lie down throughout the night, their bodies were uncomfortable.

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 them: “How can you be called bhikkhunīs when you, who’ve been staying there first, irritate the ones who’re staying there later?” Having criticized them 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 those bhikkhunīs: “Did you really do this?” They answered: “We really did this, World-honored One.” The Buddha criticized them with all kinds of reasons: “How can you be called bhikkhunīs when you, who’ve been staying there first, irritate the ones who’re staying there later?” Having criticized them 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 has been staying somewhere first and irritates someone who is staying there later, 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 has been staying somewhere first and irritates someone who is staying there later, it’s a pācittiya. Whenever she irritates her, she incurs a pācittiya. (End of rule 100.)