1.1.0.1Origin story

1.1.0.2First substory

1.1.1Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,1.1.2Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo sappiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjanti.the nuns from the group of six were eating ghee that they had asked for.1.1.3Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—People complained and criticized them,1.1.4“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo sappiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjissanti.“How can nuns eat ghee that they have asked for?1.1.5Kassa sampannaṁ na manāpaṁ, kassa sāduṁ na ruccatī”ti.Who doesn’t like nice food? Who doesn’t prefer tasty food?”

1.1.6Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.The nuns heard the complaints of those people.1.1.7Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,1.1.8“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo sappiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjissantī”ti …pe…“How can the nuns from the group of six eat ghee that they have asked for?” …1.1.9“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā, bhikkhuniyo sappiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjantī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that those nuns do this?”

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

1.1.11Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.1.12kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo sappiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjissanti.“How can the nuns from the group of six do this?1.1.13Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.1.14evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

1.1.15.0First preliminary ruling

1.1.15.1“Yā pana bhikkhunī sappiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjeyya, paṭidesetabbaṁ tāya bhikkhuniyā—‘If a nun asks for ghee and then eats it, she must acknowledge it:1.1.16‘gārayhaṁ, ayye, dhammaṁ āpajjiṁ asappāyaṁ pāṭidesanīyaṁ, taṁ paṭidesemī’”ti.“I have done a blameworthy and unsuitable thing that is to be acknowledged. I acknowledge it.”’”

1.1.17Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhunīnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the nuns.

1.2.0Second substory

1.2.1Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo gilānā honti.Soon afterwards a number of nuns were sick.1.2.2Gilānapucchikā bhikkhuniyo gilānā bhikkhuniyo etadavocuṁ—The nuns who were looking after them asked,1.2.3“kacci, ayye, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyan”ti?“I hope you’re bearing up? I hope you’re getting better?”

1.2.4“Pubbe mayaṁ, ayye, sappiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjāma, tena no phāsu hoti;“Previously we ate ghee that we had asked for, and then we were comfortable.1.2.5idāni pana ‘bhagavatā paṭikkhittan’ti kukkuccāyantā na viññāpema, tena no na phāsu hotī”ti …pe…But now that the Buddha has prohibited this, we don’t ask because we’re afraid of wrongdoing. And because of that we’re not comfortable.” …

1.2.6bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe…They told the Buddha. Soon afterwards the Buddha had the Sangha gathered and addressed the monks:

1.2.7anujānāmi, bhikkhave, gilānāya bhikkhuniyā sappiṁ viññāpetvā bhuñjituṁ.“Monks, I allow a sick nun to eat ghee that she has asked for.

1.2.8PTS 4.347Evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—And so, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: