Confession 121

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Sāvatthī. At that time, Thullanandā bhikkhunī took on a 20 year-old girl, who hadn’t trained in the six rules for two years, as her student.

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 take on a 20 year-old girl, who hasn’t trained in the six rules for two years, as your student?” 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 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 20 year-old girl, who hasn’t trained in the six rules for two years, as your student?” 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 takes on a 20 year-old girl, who hasn’t trained in the six rules for two years, as her student, 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 20 year-old girl, who hasn’t trained in the six rules for two years, as her student, it’s a pācittiya. Whenever she takes one on, she incurs a pācittiya.

At that time, the bhikkhunīs didn’t know what the six rules were. The Buddha said: “The four shared pārājikas, and the rules ‘below the hairline and above the wrists and knees’, and ‘showing craving and attachment through the eight things’, these are called the six rules.” (End of rule 121.)