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 certain nun there was walking for almsfood along a street. She then went to a certain family where she sat down on the prepared seat. Tena kho pana samayena aññatarā bhikkhunī sāvatthiyaṁ aññatarissā visikhāya piṇḍāya caramānā yena aññataraṁ kulaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. The people there gave her a meal and said, Atha kho te manussā taṁ bhikkhuniṁ bhojetvā etadavocuṁ—“Venerable, other nuns may come too.” “aññāpi, ayye, bhikkhuniyo āgacchantū”ti. Then that nun thought, Atha kho sā bhikkhunī—“What can I do so that other nuns don’t come?” And she went up to other nuns and said, “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo nāgaccheyyun”ti, bhikkhuniyo upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca—“Venerables, in such-and-such a place there are malicious dogs, a fierce ox, and it’s muddy. “amukasmiṁ, ayye, okāse vāḷā sunakhā caṇḍo balibaddo cikkhallo okāso. Don’t go there.” Mā kho tattha agamitthā”ti.

Another nun, too, went to that family while walking for almsfood along that street. She sat down on the prepared seat Aññatarāpi bhikkhunī tassā visikhāya piṇḍāya caramānā yena taṁ kulaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. and the people there gave her a meal. They then asked her, Atha kho te manussā taṁ bhikkhuniṁ bhojetvā etadavocuṁ—“Venerable, why don’t the nuns come here?” “kissa, ayye, bhikkhuniyo na āgacchantī”ti?

And she told them what had happened. Atha kho sā bhikkhunī tesaṁ manussānaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi.

People complained and criticized her, Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can a nun keep a family to herself?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhunī kulaṁ maccharāyissatī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that a nun acted like this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī kulaṁ maccharāyatī”ti?

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

The Buddha rebuked her … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could a nun act like this? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī kulaṁ maccharāyissati. 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—