Origin story

First sub-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 nun who was a pupil of Bhaddā Kāpilānī had an argument with the nuns and then went to her relatives’ village. Tena kho pana samayena bhaddāya kāpilāniyā antevāsinī bhikkhunī bhikkhunīhi saddhiṁ bhaṇḍitvā gāmakaṁ ñātikulaṁ agamāsi. Not seeing her pupil anywhere, Bhaddā Kāpilānī asked the nuns, “Where’s so-and-so? She’s disappeared.” Bhaddā kāpilānī taṁ bhikkhuniṁ apassantī bhikkhuniyo pucchi—“kahaṁ itthannāmā, na dissatī”ti.

“She disappeared, Venerable, after arguing with the nuns.” “Bhikkhunīhi saddhiṁ, ayye, bhaṇḍitvā na dissatī”ti.

“My dears, her relatives live in such-and-such a village. Go there and look for her.” “Ammā, amukasmiṁ gāmake etissā ñātikulaṁ. Tattha gantvā vicinathā”ti.

The nuns went there, and when they saw her, they said to her, “Why did you go alone, Venerable? We hope you weren’t assaulted?” Bhikkhuniyo tattha gantvā taṁ bhikkhuniṁ passitvā etadavocuṁ—“kissa tvaṁ, ayye, ekikā āgatā, kaccisi appadhaṁsitā”ti?

“I wasn’t.” “Appadhaṁsitāmhi, ayye”ti.

The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could a nun walk to the next village by herself?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhunī ekā gāmantaraṁ gacchissatī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that a nun did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī ekā gāmantaraṁ gacchatī”ti?

“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

The Buddha rebuked her … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could a nun do this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī ekā gāmantaraṁ gacchissati. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

First preliminary ruling

‘If a nun walks to the next inhabited area by herself, then that nun too has committed an immediate offense entailing sending away and suspension.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī ekā gāmantaraṁ gaccheyya, ayampi bhikkhunī paṭhamāpattikaṁ dhammaṁ āpannā nissāraṇīyaṁ saṅghādisesan”ti.

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

Second sub-story

On one occasion two nuns were traveling from Sāketa to Sāvatthī. Tena kho pana samayena dve bhikkhuniyo sāketā sāvatthiṁ addhānamaggappaṭipannā honti. On the way they had to cross a river. Antarāmagge nadī taritabbā hoti. They went to a boatman and said, “Please take us across.” Atha kho tā bhikkhuniyo nāvike upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ—“sādhu no, āvuso, tārethā”ti.

“I’m not able, Venerables, to take both of you across at the same time.” “Nāyye, sakkā ubho sakiṁ tāretun”ti. And so they crossed individually, alone with the boatman. Eko ekaṁ uttāresi. When he had crossed with the first nun, he raped her. Uttiṇṇo uttiṇṇaṁ dūsesi. And after returning to the first bank, he raped the other nun as well. Anuttiṇṇo anuttiṇṇaṁ dūsesi. Later, when they were reunited, they asked each other, Tā pacchā samāgantvā pucchiṁsu—“Venerable, I hope you weren’t assaulted?” “kaccisi, ayye, appadhaṁsitā”ti?

“I was. “Padhaṁsitāmhi, ayye. And you, Venerable, were you assaulted?” Tvaṁ pana, ayye, appadhaṁsitā”ti?

“I was, too.” “Padhaṁsitāmhi, ayye”ti.

They then continued on to Sāvatthī and told the nuns there what had happened. Atha kho tā bhikkhuniyo sāvatthiṁ gantvā bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could a nun cross a river by herself?” “kathañhi nāma bhikkhunī ekā nadīpāraṁ gacchissatī”ti. They told the monks, Atha kho tā bhikkhuniyo bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. who in turn told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: Bhikkhū bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe… “Is it true, monks, that a nun did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī ekā nadīpāraṁ gacchatī”ti?

“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could a nun do this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī ekā nadīpāraṁ gacchissati. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

Second preliminary ruling

‘If a nun walks to the next inhabited area by herself or crosses a river by herself, then that nun too has committed an immediate offense entailing sending away and suspension.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī ekā vā gāmantaraṁ gaccheyya, ekā vā nadīpāraṁ gaccheyya, ayampi bhikkhunī paṭhamāpattikaṁ dhammaṁ āpannā nissāraṇīyaṁ saṅghādisesan”ti.

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

Third sub-story

On one occasion a number of nuns were walking through the Kosalan country on their way to Sāvatthī, when one evening they arrived at a certain village. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhuniyo kosalesu janapade sāvatthiṁ gacchantā sāyaṁ aññataraṁ gāmaṁ upagacchiṁsu. One of the nuns was beautiful and graceful, and a certain man fell in love with her as soon as he saw her. Tattha aññatarā bhikkhunī abhirūpā hoti dassanīyā pāsādikā. Aññataro puriso tassā bhikkhuniyā saha dassanena paṭibaddhacitto hoti. Then, as he was preparing sleeping places for those nuns, he prepared hers to one side. Atha kho so puriso tāsaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ seyyaṁ paññapento tassā bhikkhuniyā seyyaṁ ekamantaṁ paññāpesi. And that nun thought, “This man is obsessed with me. If I go there for the night, I’ll get into trouble.” Atha kho sā bhikkhunī sallakkhetvā—“pariyuṭṭhito ayaṁ puriso; sace rattiṁ āgacchissati, vissaro me bhavissatī”ti, Then, without informing the nuns, she went to a certain family and slept there. bhikkhuniyo anāpucchā aññataraṁ kulaṁ gantvā seyyaṁ kappesi.

When night arrived, that man went searching for that nun, and as he did so he bumped into the other nuns. Atha kho so puriso rattiṁ āgantvā taṁ bhikkhuniṁ gavesanto bhikkhuniyo ghaṭṭesi. Not seeing that nun anywhere, the nuns said, “No doubt she has left with a man.” Bhikkhuniyo taṁ bhikkhuniṁ apassantiyo evamāhaṁsu—“nissaṁsayaṁ kho sā bhikkhunī purisena saddhiṁ nikkhantā”ti.

The following morning that nun returned to the nuns, and they said to her, “Venerable, why did you leave with a man?” Atha kho sā bhikkhunī tassā rattiyā accayena yena tā bhikkhuniyo tenupasaṅkami. Bhikkhuniyo taṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavocuṁ—“kissa tvaṁ, ayye, purisena saddhiṁ nikkhantā”ti?

“I didn’t leave with a man, Venerables.” “Nāhaṁ, ayye, purisena saddhiṁ nikkhantā”ti.

She then told the nuns what had happened. Bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could a nun spend the night apart by herself?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhunī ekā rattiṁ vippavasissatī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that a nun did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī ekā rattiṁ vippavasatī”ti?

“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

The Buddha rebuked her … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could a nun do this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī ekā rattiṁ vippavasissati. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

Third preliminary ruling

‘If a nun walks to the next inhabited area by herself or crosses a river by herself or spends the night apart by herself, then that nun too has committed an immediate offense entailing sending away and suspension.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī ekā vā gāmantaraṁ gaccheyya, ekā vā nadīpāraṁ gaccheyya, ekā vā rattiṁ vippavaseyya, ayampi bhikkhunī paṭhamāpattikaṁ dhammaṁ āpannā nissāraṇīyaṁ saṅghādisesan”ti.

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

Fourth sub-story

On one occasion a number of nuns were traveling through the Kosalan country on their way to Sāvatthī. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhuniyo kosalesu janapade sāvatthiṁ addhānamaggappaṭipannā honti. One of the nuns, needing to defecate, stayed behind by herself, and then followed behind the others. Tattha aññatarā bhikkhunī vaccena pīḷitā ekikā ohīyitvā pacchā agamāsi. People saw her and raped her. Manussā taṁ bhikkhuniṁ passitvā dūsesuṁ. She then went to the other nuns, and they said to her, “Why did you stay behind by yourself, Venerable? We hope you weren’t assaulted?” Atha kho sā bhikkhunī yena tā bhikkhuniyo tenupasaṅkami. Bhikkhuniyo taṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavocuṁ—“kissa tvaṁ, ayye, ekikā ohīnā, kaccisi appadhaṁsitā”ti?

“I was.” “Padhaṁsitāmhi, ayye”ti.

The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could a nun lag behind her companions by herself?” … kathañhi nāma bhikkhunī ekā gaṇamhā ohīyissatīti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that a nun did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī ekā gaṇamhā ohīyatī”ti?

“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

The Buddha rebuked her … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could a nun do this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī ekā gaṇamhā ohīyissati. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—