1.0Origin story

1.1Tena 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 bhikkhuniyo dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ sikkhamānaṁ vuṭṭhāpenti.At that time the nuns were giving the full admission to trainee nuns who had not trained for two years in the six rules.1.3Tā bālā honti abyattā na jānanti kappiyaṁ vā akappiyaṁ vā.They were ignorant and incompetent, and did not know what was allowable and what was not.

1.4Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,1.5“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ sikkhamānaṁ vuṭṭhāpessantī”ti …pe…“How can nuns give the full admission to trainee nuns who haven’t trained for two years in the six rules?” …1.6“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ sikkhamānaṁ vuṭṭhāpentī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?”

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

1.8Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.9kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo dve vassāni chasu dhammesu asikkhitasikkhaṁ sikkhamānaṁ vuṭṭhāpessanti.“How can nuns do this?1.10PTS 4.319Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …”1.11vigarahitvā …pe…After rebuking them …1.12dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—he gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

1.13“anujānāmi, bhikkhave, sikkhamānāya dve vassāni chasu dhammesu sikkhāsammutiṁ dātuṁ.“Monks, approval is required for a trainee nun to train for two years in the six rules.¹

1.14Evañca pana, bhikkhave, dātabbā.And it should be given like this.

1.20Byattāya bhikkhuniyā paṭibalāya saṅgho ñāpetabbo—A competent and capable nun should then inform the Sangha:

1.32Sā sikkhamānā “evaṁ vadehī”ti vattabbā—That trainee nun should then be told to say this:1.33“pāṇātipātā veramaṇiṁ dve vassāni avītikkamma samādānaṁ samādiyāmi.‘I undertake to abstain from killing living beings for two years without transgression.1.34Adinnādānā veramaṇiṁ dve vassāni avītikkamma samādānaṁ samādiyāmi.I undertake to abstain from stealing for two years without transgression.1.35Abrahmacariyā veramaṇiṁ dve vassāni avītikkamma samādānaṁ samādiyāmi.I undertake to abstain from sexual activity for two years without transgression.1.36Musāvādā veramaṇiṁ dve vassāni avītikkamma samādānaṁ samādiyāmi.I undertake to abstain from lying for two years without transgression.1.37Surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇiṁ dve vassāni avītikkamma samādānaṁ samādiyāmi.I undertake to abstain from alcohol, which causes heedlessness, for two years without transgression.1.38Vikālabhojanā veramaṇiṁ dve vassāni avītikkamma samādānaṁ samādiyāmī”ti.I undertake to abstain from eating at the wrong time for two years without transgression.’”

1.39Atha kho bhagavā tā bhikkhuniyo anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā dubbharatāya …pe…Then, after rebuking those nuns in many ways, the Buddha spoke in dispraise of being difficult to support …1.40evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: