[130] At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in the Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Now at that time the bhikkhunīs living in the precinct (pariveṇa) of a certain guild (pūga) were going short of rice-gruel. Then that guild, having collected a voluntary contribution (chandaka) for the sake of rice-gruel for the bhikkhunīs, deposited the fund — a requisite (parikkhāra) — at the house of a certain shopkeeper, approached the bhikkhunīs, and said this: "Venerable ladies, a fund for rice-gruel has been deposited at the house of such-and-such a shopkeeper; have husked rice brought from there, have gruel cooked, and consume it."
The bhikkhunīs, having themselves also asked for it, had that very fund exchanged for medicine and consumed it.¹
That guild, coming to know of it, criticized, denounced, and spread it about: "How can bhikkhunīs, with a requisite intended for one purpose, dedicated to another purpose, belonging to a large group of people, and asked for by themselves, have something else procured in exchange?"
Bhikkhunīs heard that guild criticizing, denouncing, and spreading it about. Those bhikkhunīs who were of few wishes … criticized, denounced, and spread it about: "How can bhikkhunīs, with a requisite intended for one purpose, dedicated to another purpose, belonging to a large group of people, and asked for by themselves, have something else procured in exchange?" …
"Is it true, as they say, bhikkhus, that bhikkhunīs, with a requisite intended for one purpose, dedicated to another purpose, belonging to a large group of people, and asked for by themselves, have something else procured in exchange?"
"It is true, Blessed One."
The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them: "How, bhikkhus, can bhikkhunīs, with a requisite intended for one purpose, dedicated to another purpose, belonging to a large group of people, and asked for by themselves, have something else procured in exchange? This, bhikkhus, is not for the confidence of those without confidence … And thus, bhikkhus, let the bhikkhunīs recite this training rule:
"Whatever bhikkhunī should have something else procured in exchange with a requisite intended for one purpose, dedicated to another purpose, belonging to a large group of people, and asked for by herself, there is an offense entailing relinquishment and confession (nissaggiya pācittiya)."
¹ [Note in the Siam Raṭṭha text: the European (PTS) edition inserts "atha kho" at this point.]
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.