Confession 167

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Rājagaha. At that time, the bhikkhunīs supporting Devadatta had a sikkhamānā who was grown up, young, attractive, and pleasing, and who wanted to receive the higher ordination. An evil man saw her and craving and attachment arose in his mind. He thought: “Bhikkhunīs are protected by the king, it’s not allowed to rape them. According to the bhikkhunīs’ rules, they should receive higher ordination from the bhikkhus. When this sikkhamānā goes out to receive the higher ordination, I’ll abduct her.” When that sikkhamānā went out to receive the higher ordination, that evil man abducted her.

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, without telling the bhikkhunīs in the monastery, go out by a remote gate?” Having criticized her with all kinds of reasons, they explained it to the Buddha in detail. Because of this matter, the Buddha gathered both sanghas and criticized her with all kinds of reasons: “How can you be called a bhikkhunī when you, without telling the bhikkhunīs in the monastery, go out by a remote gate?” 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, without telling the other bhikkhunīs, goes out by a remote gate, 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 goes out from the bhikkhunī monastery by a remote gate without telling the other bhikkhunīs, it’s a pācittiya. Whenever she goes through the gate without telling, she incurs a pācittiya. (End of rule 167.)