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 aññatarā bhikkhunī aññatarissā itthiyā kulūpikā hoti.
there was a nun was associating with the family of a certain woman.
“handāyye, imaṁ saṅghāṇiṁ amukāya nāma itthiyā dehī”ti.
“Venerable, please give this hip ornament to such-and-such a woman.”
“sacāhaṁ pattena ādāya gacchāmi vissaro me bhavissatī”ti paṭimuñcitvā agamāsi.
“If I carry it in my almsbowl, I’ll get into trouble,” and so she put it on and then left.
Tassā rathikāya suttake chinne vippakiriyiṁsu.
While she was walking along a street the threads snapped and were scattered all over.
“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo saṅghāṇiṁ dhāressanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti.
“How can nuns wear hip ornaments? 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—
The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī saṅghāṇiṁ dhāretī”ti?
“Is it true, monks, that a nun did this?”
evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
“Yā pana bhikkhunī saṅghāṇiṁ dhāreyya, pācittiyan”ti.
‘If a nun wears a hip ornament, 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.
sakimpi dhāreti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
if she wears it even once, she commits an offense entailing confession.