Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood near Vesālī, Tena samayena buddho bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Venerable Upāli’s preceptor, Venerable Kappita, was staying in a charnel ground. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato upālissa upajjhāyo āyasmā kappitako susāne viharati. At that time the leader of the nuns from the group of six had just died. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyānaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ mahattarā bhikkhunī kālaṅkatā hoti. They took her to that charnel ground, cremated her near Venerable Kappita’s dwelling, and made a stupa. They then went there to cry. Chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo taṁ bhikkhuniṁ nīharitvā āyasmato kappitakassa vihārassa avidūre jhāpetvā thūpaṁ katvā gantvā tasmiṁ thūpe rodanti.

Venerable Kappita was disturbed by the noise, and so he demolished the stupa and scattered the rubble. Atha kho āyasmā kappitako tena saddena ubbāḷho taṁ thūpaṁ bhinditvā pakiresi. The nuns from the group of six thought, Chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo—“Kappita has demolished our Venerable’s stupa; let’s kill him,” and they laid a plan. “iminā kappitakena amhākaṁ ayyāya thūpo bhinno, handa naṁ ghātemā”ti mantesuṁ. A certain nun told Venerable Upāli what was happening, Aññatarā bhikkhunī āyasmato upālissa etamatthaṁ ārocesi. and he in turn told Venerable Kappita. Āyasmā upāli āyasmato kappitakassa etamatthaṁ ārocesi. Venerable Kappita then left his dwelling and went into hiding. Atha kho āyasmā kappitako vihārā nikkhamitvā nilīno acchi. Soon afterwards the nuns from the group of six went to his dwelling Atha kho chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo yenāyasmato kappitakassa vihāro tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; and crushed it with rocks and lumps of earth. When they thought he was dead, they left. upasaṅkamitvā āyasmato kappitakassa vihāraṁ pāsāṇehi ca leḍḍūhi ca ottharāpetvā, “mato kappitako”ti pakkamiṁsu.

The following morning Venerable Kappita robed up, took his bowl and robe, and entered Vesālī for almsfood. Atha kho āyasmā kappitako tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya vesāliṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. When the nuns from the group of six saw him, Addasaṁsu kho chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo āyasmantaṁ kappitakaṁ piṇḍāya carantaṁ. they said, Disvāna evamāhaṁsu—“Kappita is alive! Who spoiled our plan?” “ayaṁ kappitako jīvati, ko nu kho amhākaṁ mantaṁ saṁharī”ti?

When they heard Assosuṁ kho chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo—it was Venerable Upāli, “ayyena kira upālinā amhākaṁ manto saṁhaṭo”ti. they abused him, Tā āyasmantaṁ upāliṁ akkosiṁsu—“How could this barber, this dirt remover of inferior caste, spoil our plan?” “kathañhi nāma ayaṁ kāsāvaṭo malamajjano nihīnajacco amhākaṁ mantaṁ saṁharissatī”ti.

The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could the nuns from the group of six abuse Venerable Upāli?” … “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo ayyaṁ upāliṁ akkosissantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that those nuns did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo upāliṁ akkosantī”ti?

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

The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could the nuns from the group of six do this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo upāliṁ akkosissanti. 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—