Expulsion 8

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Kosambī. At that time, the unanimous and harmonious sangha had expelled Garudatissa bhikkhu for not seeing (an offense). Garudatissa bhikkhu had seven bhikkhunī sisters: 1) Thullanandā bhikkhunī, 2) Sundarinandā bhikkhunī, 3) Tissā bhikkhunī, 4) Upatissā bhikkhunī, 5) Tissavatā bhikkhunī, 6) Tissapālevā(tā) bhikkhunī, and 7) Tissarakkhatā bhikkhunī. The names are my best guess. The sisters are mentioned again in pācittiya 153 with the same names, and in the dhammaka with slightly different names.* These bhikkhunīs heard that the sangha had expelled Garudatissa for not seeing (an offense), and they went and asked Garudatissa: “Did the sangha really expel you for not seeing (an offense)?” He answered: “They really did that.” The bhikkhunīs said: “Don’t back down and submit yourself with gentle speech. We’ll support you with requisites, robes, bowls, door hooks, medicines at the proper time, nighttime medicines, seven-day medicines, and lifetime medicines. If while reading and reciting suttas you’ve questions or doubts, we’ll instruct you. Why would you submit?”

Among the bhikkhunīs were those of few wishes, who knew moderation and practised the austerities. When they heard of this matter, they criticized them: “How can you be called bhikkhunīs when you know that a bhikkhu has been expelled by a unanimous, harmonious sangha for not seeing (an offense), that he’s alone without a second person, without a companion, without an associate, but doesn’t stop and doesn’t desist, and you follow him?” When the bhikkhunīs had criticized them like this, they explained it to the Buddha in detail. The Buddha gathered both sanghas because of this matter. He knew, and intentionally asked those bhikkhunīs: “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 know that a bhikkhu has been expelled by a unanimous, harmonious sangha according to dhamma for not seeing (an offense), that he’s alone without a second person, without a companion, without an associate, but doesn’t stop and doesn’t desist, and you follow him?” Having criticized them 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 a bhikkhu has been expelled by a unanimous, harmonious sangha according to dhamma for not seeing (an offense), that he’s alone without a second person, without a companion, without an associate, but doesn’t stop and doesn’t desist, and she follows him, the bhikkhunīs should admonish that bhikkhunī: “That bhikkhu has been expelled by a unanimous, harmonious sangha for not seeing (an offense), and he’s alone without a second person, without a companion, without an associate, but doesn’t stop and doesn’t desist. Don’t follow him.” When that bhikkhunī is admonished by the other bhikkhunīs in this way, and she holds firmly on to this matter and doesn’t give it up, the bhikkhunīs should admonish her a second and a third time to make her give up this matter. If she gives it up at the second or third admonishment, it’s fine. If not, that bhikkhunī commits a pārājika, and doesn’t live in community.’”

Explanations

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

“According to dhamma” means an expulsion according to dhamma, according to vinaya, according to the Buddha’s instruction.

“Alone without a second person, without a companion, without an associate” means all expelled bhikkhu(nīs) This looks like a typo in the manuscript. From context, it should read “expelled bhikkhus”.* are alone without a second person, without a companion, without an associate.

“Not stopping” means he doesn’t back down, and doesn’t submit.

“Not desisting” means he doesn’t give up the unwholesome, wrong view.

“Following” means there are two kinds: Giving requisites, and giving the dhamma.

The bhikkhunīs should say to the expelled bhikkhu: “You should submit yourself and back down towards the bhikkhu sangha. If you don’t submit and back down, the bhikkhunī sangha will carry out a formal act to not pay respect to you, not talk with you, and not support you.” If the bhikkhu submits himself and backs down, it’s fine. If he doesn’t submit and confess his transgression, the bhikkhunīs should unanimously and harmoniously carry out a formal act to not pay respect to that bhikkhu, to not talk with him, and to not support him. The procedure for the formal act is as follows:

Saṅghakamma

When the bhikkhunī sangha is unanimous and harmonious, one bhikkhunī should announce: “Venerable bhikkhunīs, may the sangha listen. Bhikkhu So-and-so has been expelled by a unanimous, harmonious sangha for not seeing (an offense), and he’s alone without a second person, without a companion, without an associate, but doesn’t stop and doesn’t desist. If the right time has come for the sangha, may the sangha approve to carry out the formal act to not pay respect to bhikkhu So-and-so, to not talk with him, and to not support him. This is called the motion.” Likewise for the formal act with a motion as fourth. “The sangha has carried out the formal act to not pay respect to bhikkhu So-and-so, to not talk with him, and to not support him. The sangha accepts this, therefore you’re silent. This matter is remembered thus.”

Explanations (continued)

The bhikkhunī sangha should also say to the bhikkhunī following and supporting him: “That bhikkhu has been expelled by a unanimous, harmonious sangha for not seeing (an offense), and he’s alone without a second person, without a companion, without an associate, but doesn’t stop and doesn’t desist. Don’t follow and support him.” When that bhikkhunī is admonished by the other bhikkhunīs in this way, and she holds firmly on to this matter and doesn’t give it up, the bhikkhunīs should admonish her a second and a third time to make her give up this matter. If she gives it up at the second or third admonishment, it’s fine. If not, that bhikkhunī commits a pārājika, and doesn’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 called 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 the bhikkhunī sangha hasn’t carried out the formal act to not pay respect, to not talk with him, and to not support him yet, and a bhikkhunī then instructs that bhikkhu in the suttas by reciting in verses, each verse is a dukkaṭa. If she recites in chapters, each chapter is a dukkaṭa. If she recites in another form, each sentence is a dukkaṭa. If the expelled bhikkhu instructs the bhikkhunī to read and recite suttas, and the bhikkhunī receives the recitation in verse, each verse is a dukkaṭa. If she receives the recitation in chapters, each chapter is a dukkaṭa. If she receives the recitation in another form, each sentence is a dukkaṭa. If the bhikkhunī supports him with requisites, and gives a bowl, it’s a dukkaṭa. If she gives a robe, it’s a dukkaṭa. If she gives a door hook, medicines at the proper time, nighttime medicines, seven-day medicines, or lifetime medicines, all are dukkaṭas. If the expelled bhikkhu supports the bhikkhunī with requisites, and gives a robe or bowl, and the bhikkhunī accepts it, each is a dukkaṭa. If he gives a door hook, medicines at the proper time, nighttime medicines, seven-day medicines, or lifetime medicines, and the bhikkhunīs accepts it, all are dukkaṭas.

If the bhikkhunī sangha has carried out the formal act to not pay respect, to not talk with him, and to not support him, and a bhikkhunī then instructs the bhikkhu to read and recite suttas by reciting in verses, each verse is a thullaccaya. If she recites in chapters, each chapter is a thullaccaya. If she recites in another form, each sentence is a thullaccaya. If the expelled bhikkhu instructs the bhikkhunī to read and recite suttas by reciting in verses, each verse is a thullaccaya. If he recites in chapters, each chapter is a thullaccaya. If he recites in another form, each sentence is a thullaccaya. If the bhikkhunī supports the expelled bhikkhu with requisites, and gives a bowl, it’s a thullaccaya. If she gives a robe, it’s a thullaccaya. If she gives a door hook, medicines at the proper time, all are thullaccayas. If she gives nighttime medicines, seven-day medicines, or lifetime medicines, all are thullaccayas. If the expelled bhikkhu supports the bhikkhunī with requisites, and gives a bowl, and the bhikkhunī accepts it, it’s a thullaccaya. If he gives a robe, a door hook, medicines at the proper time, nighttime medicines, seven-day medicines, or lifetime medicines, and the bhikkhunīs accepts it, all are thullaccayas.

The bhikkhunīs should first instruct that supportive bhikkhunī with gentle speech: “Don’t support an expelled bhikkhu, don’t follow him.” If she gives it up when they speak gently, they should instruct her to confess many dukkaṭas or many thullaccayas to clear the offenses. If she doesn’t give it up with gentle speech, they should admonish her in a formal act with a motion as fourth. The procedure for admonishing her is as follows: When the bhikkhunī sangha is unanimous and harmonious, one bhikkhunī should announce: “Venerable bhikkhunīs, may the sangha listen. Bhikkhu So-and-so has been expelled by a unanimous, harmonious sangha for not seeing (an offense), and he’s alone without a second person, without a companion, without an associate, but doesn’t stop and doesn’t desist. Bhikkhunī So-and-so follows and supports him. Having been admonished with gentle speech, she didn’t give it up. If the right time has come for the sangha, may the sangha approve that the sangha now admonishes bhikkhunī So-and-so: ‘That bhikkhu has been expelled by a unanimous, harmonious sangha for not seeing (an offense), and he’s alone without a second person, without a companion, without an associate, but doesn’t stop and doesn’t desist. Bhikkhunī, don’t follow him.’ This is called the motion.” Likewise for the formal act with a motion as fourth. “The sangha has admonished bhikkhunī So-and-so. The sangha accepts this, therefore you’re silent. This matter is remembered thus.”

As the Buddha explained earlier, that bhikkhunī should be admonished up to three times to make her give up this matter. This is called the admonishment, this is called the instruction, this is called the admonishment and instruction. If she doesn’t give it up when being admonished with gentle speech, the offense isn’t committed yet. If when admonished, she doesn’t give it up when the first announcement isn’t finished yet, when it’s finished, when the second announcement isn’t finished yet, when it’s finished, when the third announcement isn’t finished yet, if it’s against the dhamma in a divided assembly, if it’s against the dhamma in a harmonious assembly, if it resembles the dhamma in a divided assembly, if it resembles the dhamma in a harmonious assembly, if it’s according to dhamma in a divided assembly, or if it’s according to a different dhamma, a different vinaya, and a different Buddha’s instruction, the offense isn’t committed yet. If it’s according to dhamma, according to vinaya, according to the Buddha’s instruction, and she doesn’t give it up after the third admonishment is finished, that bhikkhunī commits a pārājika. (End of pārājika 8.)