Expulsion 7

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Rājagaha. At that time, there were two bhikkhunīs who were sisters. The older was called Mittā, and the younger was called Mittadāsī. Mittā bhikkhunī engaged in impure conduct and sexual intercourse. Mittadāsī bhikkhunī was virtuous and didn’t engage in sexual intercourse. At a later time, Mittā bhikkhunī disrobed and became a lay person. The bhikkhunīs went and said to Mittadāsī bhikkhunī: “Is it good that your older sister has disrobed and become a lay person?” She answered: “I already knew earlier that that bhikkhunī had committed such-and-such impure conduct. But I didn’t want to bring it up myself, nor tell the sangha. Maybe people would’ve said: ‘How can you be called a bhikkhunī, when you disgrace your older sister?’”

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 know that another bhikkhunī has a coarse offense, and conceal it?” 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 Mittadāsī 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 know that a bhikkhunī has committed a coarse offense, and conceal it?” 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 knows that another bhikkhunī has committed a coarse offense, and conceals it even for one night, and when this bhikkhunī knows that the other bhikkhunī has either disrobed, or stayed on, or been expelled, or left, and later says: “I already knew earlier that that bhikkhunī had committed such-and-such impure conduct, but I didn’t want to bring it up myself, nor tell the sangha. Maybe people would’ve said: ‘How can you be called a bhikkhunī, when you disgrace your older sister?’,” that bhikkhunī commits a pārājika, and shouldn’t live in community.’”

Explanations

“Knowing” means she either knows herself, or hears it from others, or the offender bhikkhunī tells her herself.

“A coarse offense” means either a pārājika, or a saṅghādisesa. Furthermore, all offenses are spoken of as “coarse,” but when offenses are separated into five classes, two classes are called “coarse.”

“One night” means from sunset to before it gets light outside (again) is called “one night”.

“That bhikkhunī disrobes” means she loses her status as a bhikkhunī.

“Staying on” means she stays in the status of a lay person.

“Expelled” means she’s permanently expelled in a formal act according to dhamma, according to vinaya, according to the Buddha’s instruction.

“Leaving” means she joins non-Buddhist renunciates.

If she later says: “I already knew earlier that that bhikkhunī had committed such-and-such impure conduct, but I didn’t want to bring it up myself, nor tell the sangha. Maybe people would’ve said: ‘How can a younger sister disgrace her older sister?’,” that bhikkhunī commits a pārājika, and shouldn’t live in community.

“A pārājika” means this offense is low, evil, deep, grave, and an unequalled fall. If a bhikkhunī commits this offense, she’s not a renunciate, not a Sakyan daughter, and has lost her status as a bhikkhunī.

“Not living in community” means that the bhikkhunīs don’t engage in matters of dhamma with her, that’s to say formal acts with a motion, formal acts with a motion as second, formal acts with a motion as fourth, the recitation of the precepts, the invitation ceremony, or performing the 13 formal acts for bhikkhunīs.

Herein, this is an offense: If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika offense when it gets light outside, and that bhikkhunī perceives the pārājika as a pārājika, and conceals it for a day until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If the sangha expels that bhikkhunī for not seeing (an offense), or for not making (amends), or for not giving up an unwholesome, wrong view, or if she’s insane, confused, or if an illness disturbs her mind, and at such a time she conceals it, the offense isn’t committed. If she’s released from the expulsion, or if the pain stops and she regains mental sanity, and she conceals the other’s offense at that time until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika.

If a bhikkhunī sees another bhikkhunī when it’s already light outside, at sunrise, after sunrise, before midday, at midday, after midday, in the late afternoon, at sunset, after sunset, in the first part of the first watch of the night, in the middle part of the first watch of the night, in the last part of the first watch of the night, in the first part of the second watch of the night, in the middle part of the second watch of the night, in the last part of the second watch of the night, in the first part of the last watch of the night, in the middle part of the last watch of the night, in the last part of the last watch of the night, and she conceals it until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If she perceives the pārājika as a pārājika, and conceals it until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If the sangha expels that bhikkhunī for not seeing (an offense), or for not making (amends), or for not giving up an unwholesome, wrong view, or if she’s insane, confused, or if an illness disturbs her mind, and at such a time she conceals it, the offense isn’t committed. If she’s released from the expulsion, or if the pain stops and she regains mental sanity, and she conceals the other’s offense at that time until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika.

If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika when it gets light outside, and thinks that the pārājika is a pārājika, a saṅghādisesa, a pācittiya, a pātidesanīya, or a dukkaṭa, and that bhikkhunī perceives a pārājika as a saṅghādisesa, and conceals it until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika at sunrise, after sunrise, before midday, at midday, after midday, in the late afternoon, at sunset, after sunset, in the first part of the first watch of the night, in the middle part of the first watch of the night, in the last part of the first watch of the night, in the first part of the second watch of the night, in the middle part of the second watch of the night, in the last part of the second watch of the night, in the first part of the last watch of the night, in the middle part of the last watch of the night, in the last part of the last watch of the night, and thinks that the pārājika is a saṅghādisesa, a pācittiya, a pātidesanīya, or a dukkaṭa, and she perceives the pārājika as a saṅghādisesa, and conceals it until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. Likewise if she perceives it as a pācittiya, a pātidesanīya, or as a dukkaṭa. If the sangha expels that bhikkhunī for not seeing (an offense), or for not making (amends), or for not giving up an unwholesome, wrong view, or if she’s insane, confused, or if an illness disturbs her mind, and at such a time she conceals it, the offense isn’t committed. If she’s released from the expulsion, or if the pain stops and she regains mental sanity, and she conceals the other’s offense at that time until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika.

If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika when it gets light outside, and doubt arises if the pārājika is a pārājika or not, but at a later time, the doubt is allayed and she perceives the pārājika as a pārājika, and she conceals it until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika at sunrise, after sunrise, before midday, at midday, after midday, in the late afternoon, at sunset, after sunset, in the first part of the first watch of the night, in the middle part of the first watch of the night, in the last part of the first watch of the night, in the first part of the second watch of the night, in the middle part of the second watch of the night, in the last part of the second watch of the night, in the first part of the last watch of the night, in the middle part of the last watch of the night, in the last part of the last watch of the night, and doubt arises if the pārājika is a pārājika or not, but at a later time, the doubt is allayed and she perceives the pārājika as a pārājika, and she conceals it until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If the sangha expels that bhikkhunī for not seeing (an offense), or for not making (amends), or for not giving up an unwholesome, wrong view, or if she’s insane, confused, or if an illness disturbs her mind, and at such a time she conceals it, the offense isn’t committed. If the sangha releases that bhikkhunī from the expulsion, or if the pain stops and she regains mental sanity, and she conceals the other’s offense at that time until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika.

If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika when it gets light outside, and doubt arises if the pārājika is a pārājika or a saṅghādisesa; if it’s a pārājika or a pācittiya; if it’s a pārājika or a pātidesanīya; if it’s a pārājika or a dukkaṭa; but at a later time, the doubt is allayed and she perceives the pārājika as a pārājika, and she conceals it until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika offense at sunrise, after sunrise, before midday, at midday, after midday, in the late afternoon, at sunset, after sunset, in the first part of the first watch of the night, in the middle part of the first watch of the night, in the last part of the first watch of the night, in the first part of the second watch of the night, in the middle part of the second watch of the night, in the last part of the second watch of the night, in the first part of the last watch of the night, in the middle part of the last watch of the night, in the last part of the last watch of the night, and doubt arises if the pārājika is a pārājika or a saṅghādisesa; if it’s a pārājika or a pācittiya; if it’s a pārājika or a pātidesanīya; if it’s a pārājika or a dukkaṭa; but at a later time, the doubt is allayed and she perceives the pārājika as a pārājika, and she conceals it until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If the sangha expels that bhikkhunī for not seeing (an offense), or for not making (amends), or for not giving up an unwholesome, wrong view, or if she’s insane, confused, or if an illness disturbs her mind, and at such a time she conceals it, she doesn’t commit a pārājika. If the sangha releases that bhikkhunī from the expulsion, or if the pain stops and she regains mental sanity, and she conceals it at that time until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika.

If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika when it gets light outside, and doubt arises if the pārājika is a pārājika, a saṅghādisesa, a pācittiya, a pātidesanīya, or a dukkaṭa, but at a later time, the doubt is allayed and she perceives the pārājika as a saṅghādisesa, and she conceals it until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika at sunrise, after sunrise, before midday, at midday, after midday, in the late afternoon, at sunset, after sunset, in the first part of the first watch of the night, in the middle part of the first watch of the night, in the last part of the first watch of the night, in the first part of the second watch of the night, in the middle part of the second watch of the night, in the last part of the second watch of the night, in the first part of the last watch of the night, in the middle part of the last watch of the night, in the last part of the last watch of the night, and doubt arises if the pārājika is a pārājika or a saṅghādisesa; if it’s a pārājika or a pācittiya; if it’s a pārājika or a pātidesanīya; if it’s a pārājika or a dukkaṭa; but at a later time, the doubt is allayed and she perceives the pārājika as a saṅghādisesa, and she conceals it until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If the sangha expels that bhikkhunī for not seeing (an offense), or for not making (amends), or for not giving up an unwholesome, wrong view, or if she’s insane, confused, or if an illness disturbs her mind, and at such a time she conceals it, the offense isn’t committed. If the sangha releases that bhikkhunī from the expulsion, or if the pain stops and she regains mental sanity, and she conceals the other’s offense at that time until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika.

If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika when it gets light outside, and doubt arises if the pārājika is a pārājika, a saṅghādisesa, a pācittiya, a pātidesanīya, or a dukkaṭa, but at a later time, the doubt is allayed and she perceives the pārājika as a pācittiya, and she conceals it until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika at sunrise, after sunrise, before midday, at midday, after midday, in the late afternoon, at sunset, after sunset, in the first part of the first watch of the night, in the middle part of the first watch of the night, in the last part of the first watch of the night, in the first part of the second watch of the night, in the middle part of the second watch of the night, in the last part of the second watch of the night, in the first part of the last watch of the night, in the middle part of the last watch of the night, in the last part of the last watch of the night, and doubt arises if the pārājika is a pārājika, a saṅghādisesa, a pācittiya, a pātidesanīya, or a dukkaṭa, but at a later time, the doubt is allayed and she perceives the pārājika as a pācittiya, and she conceals it until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If the sangha expels that bhikkhunī for not seeing (an offense), or for not making (amends), or for not giving up an unwholesome, wrong view, or if she’s insane, confused, or if an illness disturbs her mind, and at such a time she conceals it, she doesn’t commit a pārājika. If the sangha releases that bhikkhunī from the expulsion, or if the pain stops and she regains mental sanity, and she conceals the other’s offense at that time until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika.

If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika when it gets light outside, and doubt arises if the pārājika is a pārājika, a saṅghādisesa, a pācittiya, a pātidesanīya, or a dukkaṭa, but at a later time, the doubt is allayed and she perceives the pārājika as a pātidesanīya, and she conceals the other’s offense until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika at sunrise, after sunrise, before midday, at midday, after midday, in the late afternoon, at sunset, after sunset, in the first part of the first watch of the night, in the middle part of the first watch of the night, in the last part of the first watch of the night, in the first part of the second watch of the night, in the middle part of the second watch of the night, in the last part of the second watch of the night, in the first part of the last watch of the night, in the middle part of the last watch of the night, in the last part of the last watch of the night, and doubt arises if the pārājika is a pārājika, a saṅghādisesa, a pācittiya, a pātidesanīya, or a dukkaṭa, but at a later time, the doubt is allayed and she perceives the pārājika as a pātidesanīya, and she conceals the other’s offense until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If the sangha expels that bhikkhunī for not seeing (an offense), or for not making (amends), or for not giving up an unwholesome, wrong view, or if she’s insane, confused, or if an illness disturbs her mind, and at such a time she conceals it, she doesn’t commit a pārājika. If the sangha releases that bhikkhunī from the expulsion, or if the pain stops and she regains mental sanity, and she conceals the other’s offense at that time until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika.

If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika when it gets light outside, and doubt arises if the pārājika is a pārājika, a saṅghādisesa, a pācittiya, a pātidesanīya, or a dukkaṭa, but at a later time, the doubt is allayed and she perceives the pārājika as a dukkaṭa, and she conceals the other’s offense until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If a bhikkhunī sees that another bhikkhunī commits a pārājika at sunrise, after sunrise, before midday, at midday, after midday, in the late afternoon, at sunset, after sunset, in the first part of the first watch of the night, in the middle part of the first watch of the night, in the last part of the first watch of the night, in the first part of the second watch of the night, in the middle part of the second watch of the night, in the last part of the second watch of the night, in the first part of the last watch of the night, in the middle part of the last watch of the night, in the last part of the last watch of the night, and doubt arises if the pārājika is a pārājika, a saṅghādisesa, a pācittiya, a pātidesanīya, or a dukkaṭa, but at a later time, the doubt is allayed and she perceives the pārājika as a dukkaṭa, and she conceals the other’s offense until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. If the sangha expels that bhikkhunī for not seeing (an offense), or for not making (amends), or for not giving up an unwholesome, wrong view, or if she’s insane, confused, or if an illness disturbs her mind, and at such a time she conceals it, she doesn’t commit a pārājika. If the sangha releases that bhikkhunī from the expulsion, or if the pain stops and she regains mental sanity, and she conceals the other’s offense at that time until it gets light outside (again), she commits a pārājika. (End of rule 7.)