Confession 131

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Rājagaha. At that time, the bhikkhunīs supporting Devadatta kept many robes, but they didn’t separate them according to who had determined which saṅghāṭī, upper robe, lower robe, shoulder-covering robe, and kusūla A kind of skirt.*. The bhikkhunīs asked the bhikkhunīs supporting Devadatta: “Which ones are your determined saṅghāṭīs, upper robes, lower robes, shoulder-covering robes, and kusūlas?” They answered: “Wait a moment. We’ll ask our preceptors, teachers, and the bhikkhunīs living with us.” Then they went and asked: “Which ones are our determined saṅghāṭīs, upper robes, lower robes, shoulder-covering robes, and kusūlas?” Those people answered: “We don’t know and don’t remember. We’re unsure whether they’ve been determined by you or not.”

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 with all kinds of reasons: “How can you be called bhikkhunīs when you keep many robes, and don’t know who has determined which saṅghāṭī, upper robe, lower robe, shoulder-covering robe, and kusūla?” 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 the bhikkhunīs supporting Devadatta: “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 keep many robes, and don’t know who has determined which saṅghāṭī, upper robe, lower robe, shoulder-covering robe, and kusūla?” Having criticized them with all kinds of reasons, he said to the bhikkhus: “From now on, the bhikkhunīs should look after their five robes every five days. 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 doesn’t look after her five robes every five days, 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 doesn’t look after her five robes every five days, it’s a pācittiya. Whenever she doesn’t look after them, she incurs a pācittiya. (End of rule 131.)