Tripiṭaka Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
The Nuns’ Analysis
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Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,
Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo dve ekamañce tuvaṭṭenti.
two nuns were lying down on the same bed.
Manussā vihāracārikaṁ āhiṇḍantā passitvā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
When people walking about the dwellings saw this, they complained and criticized them,
“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo dve ekamañce tuvaṭṭessanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti.
“How can two nuns lie down on the same bed? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!”
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 them,
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo dve ekamañce tuvaṭṭentī”ti?
“Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?”
evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
“Yā pana bhikkhuniyo dve ekamañce tuvaṭṭeyyuṁ, pācittiyan”ti.
‘If two nuns lie down on the same bed, they commit an offense entailing confession.’”
ekāya nipannāya aparā nipajjati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
if, when one is lying down, the other lies down, they commit an offense entailing confession.
Ubho vā nipajjanti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If both lie down together, they commit an offense entailing confession.
Uṭṭhahitvā punappunaṁ nipajjanti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Every time they get up and then lie down again, they commit an offense entailing confession.