Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. a number of nuns were bathing naked at a ford in the river Aciravatī together with sex workers. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhuniyo aciravatiyā nadiyā vesiyāhi saddhiṁ naggā ekatitthe nahāyanti. The sex workers teased the nuns, Vesiyā tā bhikkhuniyo uppaṇḍesuṁ—“Venerables, why practice the spiritual life when you’re still young? Why not enjoy worldly pleasures? “kiṁ nu kho nāma tumhākaṁ, ayye, daharānaṁ brahmacariyaṁ ciṇṇena, nanu nāma kāmā paribhuñjitabbā. You can practice the spiritual life when you’re old. Yadā jiṇṇā bhavissatha tadā brahmacariyaṁ carissatha. In this way you’ll get the benefit of both.” Evaṁ tumhākaṁ ubho atthā pariggahitā bhavissantī”ti. The nuns felt humiliated. Bhikkhuniyo vesiyāhi uppaṇḍiyamānā maṅkū ahesuṁ.

They then went to the nuns’ dwelling place and told the nuns what had happened. Atha kho tā bhikkhuniyo upassayaṁ gantvā bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. The nuns told the monks, Bhikkhuniyo bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. who in turn told the Buddha. Bhikkhū bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—“Well then, monks, I will lay down a training rule for the nuns for the following ten reasons: “tena hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhunīnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññapessāmi dasa atthavase paṭicca—for the well-being of the Sangha … saṅghasuṭṭhutāya …pe… for supporting the training. vinayānuggahāya. And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: Evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—