1.0Origin story

1.1PTS 4.313Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.1.2Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhuniyo gāmakāvāse vassaṁvuṭṭhā sāvatthiṁ agamaṁsu.At that time a number of nuns who had completed the rainy-season residence in a village monastery went to Sāvatthī.1.3Bhikkhuniyo tā bhikkhuniyo etadavocuṁ—The nuns there asked them,1.4“katthāyyāyo vassaṁvuṭṭhā?“Venerables, where did you spend the rains residence?1.5Kacci ovādo iddho ahosī”ti?We hope the instruction was effective?”

1.6“Natthayye, tattha bhikkhū;“There were no monks there.1.7kuto ovādo iddho bhavissatī”ti.So how could the instruction be effective?”

1.8Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,1.9“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo abhikkhuke āvāse vassaṁ vasissantī”ti …pe…“How could nuns spend the rains residence in a monastery without monks?” …1.10“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo abhikkhuke āvāse vassaṁ vasantī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that nuns did this?”

1.11“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”

1.12Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.13kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo abhikkhuke āvāse vassaṁ vasissanti.“How could nuns do this?1.14Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.15evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: