Tripiṭaka Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
The Nuns’ Analysis
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Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.
Tena kho pana samayena thullanandā bhikkhunī bahussutā hoti bhāṇikā visāradā paṭṭā dhammiṁ kathaṁ kātuṁ.
At that time the nun Thullanandā was a learned reciter, and she was confident and skilled at giving teachings.
Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo sītakāle mahagghaṁ kambalaṁ pārupitvā yena thullanandā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā thullanandaṁ bhikkhuniṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
On one occasion when the weather was cold, King Pasenadi of Kosala put on an expensive woolen cloak and went to Thullanandā. He bowed and sat down.
Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ thullanandā bhikkhunī dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi.
And Thullanandā instructed, inspired, and gladdened him with a teaching.
Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo thullanandāya bhikkhuniyā dhammiyā kathāya sandassito samādapito samuttejito sampahaṁsito thullanandaṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavoca—
He then said,
“Sace me tvaṁ, mahārāja, dātukāmosi, imaṁ kambalaṁ dehī”ti.
“Great king, if you wish to give me something, then give me this woolen cloak.”
Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo thullanandāya bhikkhuniyā kambalaṁ datvā uṭṭhāyāsanā thullanandaṁ bhikkhuniṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.
The king gave her his cloak. He then got up from his seat, bowed down, circumambulated her with his right side toward her, and left.
Kathañhi nāma rājānaṁ kambalaṁ viññāpessantī”ti.
How can they ask the king for his woolen cloak?”
Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.
The nuns heard the complaints of those people,
Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,
“kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā rājānaṁ kambalaṁ viññāpessatī”ti …pe…
“How could Venerable Thullanandā ask the king for his woolen cloak?” …
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī rājānaṁ kambalaṁ viññāpetī”ti?
“Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā asked for this?”
kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī rājānaṁ kambalaṁ viññāpessati.
“How could the nun Thullanandā ask the king for his woolen cloak?
evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
“Garupāvuraṇaṁ pana bhikkhuniyā cetāpentiyā catukkaṁsaparamaṁ cetāpetabbaṁ. Tato ce uttari cetāpeyya, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan”ti.
‘If a nun carries out an exchange to get a heavy cloak, it is to be worth at most four <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kaṁsa</i> coins. If she gets one in exchange that is worth more than that, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”
Catukkaṁsaparamaṁ cetāpetabbanti
It is to be worth at most four <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kaṁsa</i> coins:
soḷasakahāpaṇagghanakaṁ cetāpetabbaṁ.
it may be worth sixteen <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kahāpaṇa</i> coins.
tatuttari viññāpeti, payoge dukkaṭaṁ.
if she asks for one worth more than that, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct.
Nissajjitabbaṁ saṅghassa vā gaṇassa vā ekabhikkhuniyā vā.
It should be relinquished to a sangha, a group, or an individual nun.
…pe…
(To be expanded as in <a href='https://suttacentral.net/pli-tv-bi-vb-np1/en/brahmali#2.1.21'>Bi Np 1:2.1.21</a>–Bi Np 1:2.1.43, with appropriate substitutions.)
“idaṁ me, ayye, garupāvuraṇaṁ atirekacatukkaṁsaparamaṁ cetāpitaṁ nissaggiyaṁ, imāhaṁ saṅghassa nissajjāmī”ti …pe…
‘Venerables, this heavy cloak worth more than four <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kaṁsa</i> coins, which I got in exchange, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ …
Atirekacatukkaṁse atirekasaññā cetāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If it is worth more than four <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kaṁsa</i> coins, and she perceives it as such, and she gets it in exchange, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.
Atirekacatukkaṁse vematikā cetāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If it is worth more than four <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kaṁsa</i> coins, but she is unsure of it, and she gets it in exchange, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.
Atirekacatukkaṁse ūnakasaññā cetāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If it is worth more than four <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kaṁsa</i> coins, but she perceives it as being worth less, and she gets it in exchange, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.
Ūnakacatukkaṁse atirekasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If it is worth less than four <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kaṁsa</i> coins, but she perceives it as being worth more, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Ūnakacatukkaṁse vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If it is worth less than four <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kaṁsa</i> coins, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Ūnakacatukkaṁse ūnakasaññā, anāpatti.
If it is worth less than four <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kaṁsa</i> coins, and she perceives it as such, there is no offense.
catukkaṁsaparamaṁ cetāpeti,
if she carries out an exchange for one worth at most four <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kaṁsa</i> coins;
ūnakacatukkaṁsaparamaṁ cetāpeti,
if she carries out an exchange for one worth less than four <i lang='pi' translate='no'>kaṁsa</i> coins;
mahagghaṁ cetāpetukāmassa appagghaṁ cetāpeti,
if she gets one in exchange that has little value from someone who wants to exchange one of great value;