四分比丘戒本疏 1.30

1.30

Question: Why do the other precepts have no mention of submitting oneself to confession? Answer: In general, what is verifiable in the present is inevitably subjected to much interrogation; therefore, fearing that others will interrogate him, he confesses on his own, or in some cases he submits only when interrogated. This is unlike sexual misconduct, theft, or killing, etc., which can be concealed and where no one interrogates or reproaches him; hence there is no text of submitting to confession. Thus we know that in the precept against false accusation, Dabba's purity was verifiable in the present, and Maitreya's false accusation was interrogated by many people; hence there is a self-confession. When a bhikṣuṇī conceals a grave offence, after the matter comes to light it is also verifiable. For a bhikṣu concealing a grave offence, [the text] omits it for brevity, so there is no mention of confession.