Confession 115

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Sāvatthī. At that time, Thullanandā bhikkhunī took on a prostitute as her student. That prostitute bhikkhunī, before midday, put on her robes, took her bowl, and entered Sāvatthī on almsround. There, there were householders who said: “We’ve done such and such things together with that bhikkhunī.”

When that bhikkhunī heard about this matter, her mind wasn’t pleased. She told it to the bhikkhunīs, and they explained it to the Buddha in detail. The Buddha gathered both sanghas because of this matter. He knew, and intentionally asked Thullanandā 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 take on a prostitute as your student?” Having criticized her with all kinds of reasons, he said to the bhikkhus: “From now on, you shouldn’t take on a prostitute as your student. If someone takes one on, it’s a dukkaṭa. If there’s a reason to take her on, one should take her five or six yojanas away from her original place. 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 takes on a prostitute as her student and doesn’t take her five or six yojanas away from her original place, 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 takes on a prostitute as her student and doesn’t take her five or six yojanas away from her original place, it’s a pācittiya. Whenever she doesn’t take her away, she incurs a pācittiya. (End of rule 115.)