Suspension 15

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Sāvatthī. At that time, Kālī bhikkhunī liked to quarrel with others and said: “The bhikkhunī sangha acts out of desire, anger, fear, and delusion.”

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, while quarreling with others, say: ‘The bhikkhunī sangha acts out of desire, anger, fear, and delusion’?” 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 Kālī 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, while quarreling with others, say: ‘The bhikkhunī sangha acts out of desire, anger, fear, and delusion’?” 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, while quarreling with other bhikkhunīs, says: “The bhikkhunī sangha acts out of desire, anger, fear, and delusion,” the bhikkhunīs should admonish that bhikkhunī: “While quarreling with other bhikkhunīs, don’t say: ‘The bhikkhunī sangha acts out of desire, anger, fear, and delusion.’ Why? The bhikkhunī sangha doesn’t act out of desire, anger, fear, and delusion. You, bhikkhunī, should give up this speech of following desire, anger, fear, and delusion.” 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 saṅghādisesa after three admonishments, 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: “The bhikkhunī sangha acts out of desire,” it’s a thullaccaya. If she says: “They act out of anger,” it’s a thullaccaya. If she says: “They act out of fear,” it’s a thullaccaya. If she says: “They act out of delusion,” it’s a thullaccaya. The bhikkhunīs should first admonish her with gentle speech. If she gives it up at that time, they should instruct her to confess four 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:

Saṅghakamma

When the sangha is unanimous and harmonious, one bhikkhunī should announce in the sangha: “Venerable bhikkhunīs, may the sangha listen. Kālī bhikkhunī, who formerly was a non-Buddhist renunciate, while quarreling with other bhikkhunīs, said: ‘The bhikkhunī sangha acts out of desire, anger, fear, and delusion.’ 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 Kālī bhikkhunī: ‘While quarreling with other bhikkhunīs, don’t say: “The bhikkhunī sangha acts out of desire, anger, fear, and delusion.”’ This is called the motion.” Likewise for the formal act with a motion as fourth. “The sangha has admonished Kālī bhikkhunī. The sangha accepts this, therefore you’re silent. This matter is remembered thus.”

Explanations (continued)

As the Buddha explained earlier, that bhikkhunī should be admonished by the bhikkhunīs 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 at the third admonishment, that bhikkhunī commits a saṅghādisesa. (End of rule 15.)