Suspension 17

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Rājagaha. At that time, the bhikkhunīs supporting Devadatta went to Dhammā and Tánmí bhikkhunīs and said: “Don’t practise separately, you should practise with the same intentions. If you practise separately, you’ll not attain growth. If you practise with the same intentions, then you’ll attain growth. There are also others like you in the bhikkhunī sangha, but out of anger, the sangha instructs you to practise separately.”

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 them with all kinds of reasons: “How can you be called bhikkhunīs when you go and say to Dhammā and Tánmí bhikkhunīs: ‘Don’t practise separately, you should practise with the same intentions. If you practise separately, you’ll not attain growth. If you practise with the same intentions, then you’ll attain growth. There are also others like you in the bhikkhunī sangha, but out of anger, the sangha instructs you to practise separately’?” Having criticized them 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 the bhikkhunīs supporting Devadatta: “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 go and say to Dhammā and Tánmí bhikkhunīs: ‘Don’t practise separately, you should practise with the same intentions. If you practise separately, you’ll not attain growth. If you practise with the same intentions, then you’ll attain growth. There are also others like you in the bhikkhunī sangha, but out of anger, the sangha instructs you to practise separately’?” 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 instructs two other bhikkhunīs: “Don’t practise separately, you should practise with the same intentions. If you practise separately, you’ll not attain growth. If you practise with the same intentions, then you’ll attain growth. There are also others like you in the bhikkhunī sangha, but out of anger, the sangha instructs you to practise separately,” the bhikkhunīs should admonish that bhikkhunī: “Don’t instruct these two other bhikkhunīs: ‘Don’t practise separately, you should practise with the same intentions. If you practise separately, you’ll not attain growth. If you practise with the same intentions, then you’ll attain growth. There are also others like you in the bhikkhunī sangha, but out of anger, the sangha instructs you to practise separately.’ You should give up exhorting them about this wrong conduct.” 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 act constitutes 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 exhorts two other bhikkhunīs: “Don’t practise separately,” it’s a thullaccaya. If she says: “You should practise with the same intentions,” it’s a thullaccaya. If she says: “If you practise separately, you’ll not attain growth,” it’s a thullaccaya. If she says: “If you practise with the same intentions, then you’ll attain growth,” it’s a thullaccaya. If she says: “There are also others like you in the bhikkhunī sangha, but out of anger, the sangha instructs you to practise separately,” because of the criticism of the bhikkhunī sangha, it’s a pācittiya. The bhikkhunīs should first admonish her with gentle speech. If she gives it up, they should instruct her to confess four thullaccayas and one pācittiya 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 the formal act is as follows:

Saṅghakamma

When the sangha is unanimous and harmonious, one bhikkhunī should announce in the sangha: “Venerable bhikkhunīs, may the sangha listen. This bhikkhunī So-and-so instructs the two bhikkhunīs So-and-so and So-and-so: ‘Don’t practise separately, you should practise with the same intentions. If you practise separately, you’ll not attain growth. If you practise with the same intentions, then you’ll attain growth. There are also others like you in the bhikkhunī sangha, but out of anger, the sangha instructs you to practise separately.’ 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: ‘Don’t instruct these two bhikkhunīs So-and-so and So-and-so: “Don’t practise separately, you should practise with the same intentions. If you practise separately, you’ll not attain growth. If you practise with the same intentions, then you’ll attain growth. There are also others like you in the bhikkhunī sangha, but out of anger, the sangha instructs you to practise separately.” You should give up exhorting them about this wrong conduct.’ 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.”

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 17.)