Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At that time the lay followers collected voluntary contributions to supply the Sangha of nuns with robes. They stored the requisites in a cloth merchant’s shop, and then went to the nuns and said, Tena kho pana samayena upāsakā bhikkhunisaṅghassa cīvaratthāya chandakaṁ saṅgharitvā aññatarassa pāvārikassa ghare parikkhāraṁ nikkhipitvā bhikkhuniyo upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ—“Venerables, requisites to be used for robes are stored in such-and-such a cloth merchant’s shop. Please have someone get cloth from there and share it out.” “amukassa, ayye, pāvārikassa ghare cīvaratthāya parikkhāro nikkhitto, tato cīvaraṁ āharāpetvā bhājethā”ti. But the nuns exchanged those requisites for tonics, which they then used. Bhikkhuniyo tena parikkhārena bhesajjaṁ cetāpetvā paribhuñjiṁsu. When the lay followers found out about this, they complained and criticized them, Upāsakā jānitvā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“When requisites belonging to the Sangha are designated for a specific purpose, how could the nuns exchange them for something else?” “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo aññadatthikena parikkhārena aññuddisikena saṅghikena aññaṁ cetāpessantī”ti.

The nuns heard the complaints of those lay followers, Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ upāsakānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“When requisites belonging to the Sangha are designated for a specific purpose, how could the nuns exchange them for something else?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo aññadatthikena parikkhārena aññuddisikena saṅghikena aññaṁ cetāpessantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that the nuns did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo aññadatthikena parikkhārena aññuddisikena saṅghikena aññaṁ cetāpentī”ti?

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

The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “When requisites belonging to the Sangha are designated for a specific purpose, how could the nuns exchange them for something else? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo aññadatthikena parikkhārena aññuddisikena saṅghikena aññaṁ cetāpessanti. 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—