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 sambahulā bhikkhuniyo gāmakāvāse vassaṁvuṭṭhā sāvatthiṁ agamaṁsu.
At that time a number of nuns who had completed the rainy-season residence in a village monastery went to Sāvatthī.
Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,
“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo abhikkhuke āvāse vassaṁ vasissantī”ti …pe…
“How could nuns spend the rains residence in a monastery without monks?” …
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo abhikkhuke āvāse vassaṁ vasantī”ti?
“Is it true, monks, that nuns did this?”
kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo abhikkhuke āvāse vassaṁ vasissanti.
“How could nuns do this?
evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
“Yā pana bhikkhunī abhikkhuke āvāse vassaṁ vaseyya, pācittiyan”ti.
‘If a nun spends the rainy-season residence in a monastery without monks, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”
…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti.
… The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case.
na sakkā hoti ovādāya vā saṁvāsāya vā gantuṁ.
she is not able to go to the instruction or to a formal meeting of the community.
“Vassaṁ vasissāmī”ti senāsanaṁ paññapeti pānīyaṁ paribhojanīyaṁ upaṭṭhapeti pariveṇaṁ sammajjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If she thinks, “I’ll stay here for the rainy-season residence,” and she prepares a dwelling, sets out water for drinking and water for washing, and sweeps the yard, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
vassupagatā bhikkhū pakkantā vā honti vibbhantā vā kālaṅkatā vā pakkhasaṅkantā vā,
if the monks who entered the rainy-season residence there depart or disrobe or die or join another group;