Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
The Nuns’ Analysis
Tip — double-click any Pāli word to look it up in the dictionary.
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.
“Na mayaṁ, ayye, bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pavāremā”ti.
“We didn’t invite the Sangha of monks for correction.”
Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,
“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo vassaṁvuṭṭhā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ na pavāressantī”ti …pe…
“How could nuns who have completed the rains residence not invite the Sangha of monks for correction?” …
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo vassaṁvuṭṭhā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ na pavārentī”ti?
“Is it true, monks, that nuns didn’t do this?”
kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo vassaṁvuṭṭhā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ na pavāressanti.
“How could nuns not do this?
evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
“Yā pana bhikkhunī vassaṁvuṭṭhā ubhatosaṅghe tīhi ṭhānehi na pavāreyya diṭṭhena vā sutena vā parisaṅkāya vā, pācittiyan”ti.
‘If a nun who has completed the rainy-season residence does not invite correction from both Sanghas in regard to three things—what has been seen, heard, or suspected—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.
purimaṁ vā temāsaṁ pacchimaṁ vā temāsaṁ vuṭṭhā.
who has completed the first three or the last three months of the rainy-season residence.
Ubhatosaṅghe tīhi ṭhānehi na pavāressāmi diṭṭhena vā sutena vā parisaṅkāya vā”ti dhuraṁ nikkhittamatte āpatti pācittiyassa.
If she thinks, “I won’t invite correction from both Sanghas in regard to three things—what has been seen, heard, or suspected,” then by the mere fact of abandoning her duty, she commits an offense entailing confession.