Suspension 5

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Rājagaha. Should be Sāvatthī, as this rule follows on from the previous rule.* At that time, there was a bhikkhunī who went to Gifts-Exceeding(-Grains-of-Sand) bhikkhunī and said: “If you don’t have a defiled mind, but the man has a defiled mind, just take food from him with your own hand and eat it. If you use it as you want, what can that do to you?”

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 say to another bhikkhunī: ‘If you don’t have a defiled mind, but the man has a defiled mind, just take food from him with your own hand and eat it. If you use it as you want, what can that do to you?’” 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 that 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 exhort another bhikkhunī: ‘If you don’t have a defiled mind, but the man has a defiled mind, just take food from him with your own hand and eat it. If you use it as you want, what can that do to you?’” 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 says: “If you don’t have a defiled mind, take food with your own hand from a man with a defiled mind and eat it. If you use it as you want, what can that do to you?”, that act is an immediate saṅghādisesa, from which one can repent.’”

Explanations

“A saṅghādisesa” means this offense is dependent upon the sangha, and in the sangha there’s a remainder. Because she confesses and clears it in front of the sangha, therefore it’s called a saṅghādisesa.

Herein, this is an offense: If a bhikkhunī says to another bhikkhunī: “If you don’t have a defiled mind, take food with your own hand from a man with a defiled mind and eat it. If you use it as you want, what can that do to you?”, it’s a saṅghādisesa. If a bhikkhunī says to another bhikkhunī: “If you don’t have a defiled mind, and a man with a defiled mind gives you food, just take it and eat it. If you use it as you want, what can that do to you?”, it’s a saṅghādisesa. If a bhikkhunī says to another bhikkhunī: “If you have a defiled mind, and a man has a defiled mind, what can that do to you? Don’t take food from him with your own hand and eat it. Don’t use it as you want,” it’s a thullaccaya. If a bhikkhunī says to another bhikkhunī: “If you don’t have a defiled mind, and a man has a defiled mind, what can that do to you? Don’t take food from him with your own hand and eat it. Don’t use it as you want,” it’s a thullaccaya. (End of rule 5.)