Confession 103

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Sāvatthī. At that time, the venerable Mahākassapa, before midday, put on his robes, took his bowl, and entered a householder’s home on almsround. Then, in the house where he was standing, there was a lady of the house. She saw Mahākassapa from a distance, got up, came out, and welcomed him. Thullanandā had been in that house first, and when she saw Mahākassapa from a distance, she didn’t get up, nor go to welcome him. When the lady of the house had touched his feet with her hands, and had paid respect with her head at the venerable Mahākassapa’s feet, she washed her hands, took his bowl, filled it completely with rice, sprinkled curries on top, and gave it to him. Mahākassapa took it and left. The lady of the house went to Thullanandā and said: “You know that this was the venerable Mahākassapa, the Buddha’s great disciple, respected by gods and humans, a good friend, and field of merit. If you had gotten up and welcomed him, how could that have been a bad thing?” Thullanandā said: “Mahākassapa was formerly a non-Buddhist renunciate, a brahmin. The one you value and respect isn’t who I honor.” The lady of the house angrily criticized her: “These bhikkhunīs say of themselves: ‘We’re virtuous and have merit’, but they don’t get up when they see a bhikkhu coming, like non-Buddhist renunciates.”

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 explained it to the Buddha in detail. The Buddha gathered both sanghas because of this matter. He knew, and intentionally asked her: “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 don’t get up when you see a bhikkhu coming?” 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 sees a bhikkhu coming and doesn’t get up, 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 sees a bhikkhu coming and doesn’t get up, it’s a pācittiya. Whenever she sees him and doesn’t get up, she incurs a pācittiya. (End of rule 103.)