Confession 107

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Sāvatthī. At that time, Thullanandā bhikkhunī had 12 years seniority and wanted to take on students. She said to the bhikkhunīs: “I’ve been fully ordained for 12 years, now I want to take on students. What should I do?”

The bhikkhunīs told the Buddha about this matter and the Buddha said: “You should carry out a formal act to take on students for Thullanandā bhikkhunī. If there are also other such bhikkhunīs, you should also carry out a formal act to take on students for them.

Saṅghakamma

‘A formal act to take on students’ means in a unanimous, harmonious bhikkhunī sangha, Thullanandā bhikkhunī should get up from her seat, uncover her right shoulder, remove her shoes, kneel down, join her palms, and say: ‘Venerable bhikkhunīs, may the sangha listen. I, Thullanandā bhikkhunī, have been fully ordained for 12 years and want to take on students. I now ask the sangha for the formal act to take on students. May the sangha carry out the formal act to take on students for me, Thullanandā bhikkhunī, out of the sangha’s compassion.’ She asks like this a second and third time.

Then one bhikkhunī should announce in the sangha: ‘Venerable bhikkhunīs, may the sangha listen. This Thullanandā bhikkhunī has been fully ordained for 12 years and wants to take on students. This Thullanandā bhikkhunī asks the sangha for the formal act to take on students. If the right time has come for the sangha, may the sangha approve that the sangha now carries out the formal act to take on students for Thullanandā bhikkhunī. This is called the motion.’ In this way, (they do) a formal act with a motion as fourth. ‘The sangha has carried out a formal act to take on students for Thullanandā bhikkhunī. The sangha accepts this, therefore you’re silent. This matter is remembered thus.’

Origin Story (continued)

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 12 years seniority and takes on students when the formal act to take on students hasn’t been carried out yet, 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 12 years seniority and takes on students when the formal act to take on students hasn’t been carried out yet, it’s a pācittiya. Whenever she takes one on, she incurs a pācittiya. (End of rule 107.)