Confession 144

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Sāvatthī. At that time, a high official in Sāvatthī was cleanly and loved to point out other’s faults. He said to his wife: “These bhikkhunīs are unclean and wear rag robes. Don’t allow them to sit on my bed.” The wife answered: “Okay.” When they had said this, he left. Thullanandā often went in and out of this house. Before midday, she put on her robe, took her bowl, and went to this house. The lady of the house said: “My husband is cleanly and loves to point out other’s faults. He said to me: ‘These bhikkhunīs are unclean and wear rag robes. Don’t allow them to sit on my bed.’” Thullanandā bhikkhunī then said angrily: “Leave quickly! Is your clan superior to mine? Is your family superior to mine? If I hadn’t become a bhikkhunī, you’d have served me.” Then she hitched up her robe, and sat on his bed. The householders criticized her: “These bhikkhunīs say of themselves: ‘We’re virtuous and have merit’, but they just sit on the owner’s bed without asking, like queens and wives of high officials.”

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 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 sit on someone’s bed without asking the owner?” 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 sits on someone’s bed without asking the owner, 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 sits on someone’s bed without asking the owner, it’s a pācittiya. Whenever she sits without asking, she incurs a pācittiya. (End of rule 144.)