Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary. Tena samayena buddho bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. At that time the nuns were staying right there at Rājagaha for the rainy season, the winter, and the summer. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo tattheva rājagahe vassaṁ vasanti, tattha hemantaṁ, tattha gimhaṁ. People complained and criticized them, Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“The nuns are leaving the districts in darkness and obscurity. They don’t brighten them up by their presence.” “āhundarikā bhikkhunīnaṁ disā andhakārā, na imāsaṁ disā pakkhāyantī”ti.

The nuns heard the complaints of those people. Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. They then told the monks, Atha kho tā 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 the longevity of the true Teaching, and for supporting the training. saddhammaṭṭhitiyā vinayānuggahāya. And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: Evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—