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 chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi karonti.
the nuns from the group of six were defecating, urinating, and spitting in water.
“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi karissanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti.
“How can nuns defecate, urinate, and spit in water? 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, tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,
“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi karissantī”ti.
“How can the nuns from the group of six defecate, urinate, and spit in water?”
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi karontī”ti?
“Is it true, monks, that those nuns do this?”
kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi karissanti.
“How can the nuns from the group of six do this?
evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
“Na udake uccāraṁ vā passāvaṁ vā kheḷaṁ vā karissāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā”ti.
‘“I will not defecate, urinate, or spit in water,” this is how you should train.’”
Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhunīnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.
In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the nuns.
Tena kho pana samayena gilānā bhikkhuniyo udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi kātuṁ kukkuccāyanti.
Soon afterwards, being afraid of wrongdoing, sick nuns did not defecate, urinate, or spit in water.
Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe…
They told the Buddha. He then had the Sangha gathered and addressed the monks:
anujānāmi, bhikkhave, gilānāya bhikkhuniyā udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi kātuṁ.
“Monks, I allow a sick nun to defecate, urinate, and spit in water.
Evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
And so, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
“Na udake agilānā uccāraṁ vā passāvaṁ vā kheḷaṁ vā karissāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā”ti.
‘“When not sick, I will not defecate, urinate, or spit in water,” this is how you should train.’”
Na udake agilānāya uccāro vā passāvo vā kheḷo vā kātabbo.
If one is not sick, one should not defecate, urinate, or spit in water.
Yā anādariyaṁ paṭicca udake agilānā uccāraṁ vā passāvaṁ vā kheḷaṁ vā karoti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If, out of disrespect, a nun who is not sick defecates, urinates, or spits in water, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Uddiṭṭhā kho, ayyāyo, sekhiyā dhammā.
“Venerables, the rules to be trained in have been recited.
Parisuddhetthāyyāyo, tasmā tuṇhī, evametaṁ dhārayāmīti.
You are pure in this and therefore silent. I’ll remember it thus.”