Ārāmavaggasikkhābada

Vinayapiṭaka · Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga · Vol. 3 · Section 355

[355] At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu, in the Nigrodhārāma. Now at that time the group-of-six bhikkhus, having approached the bhikkhunīs' quarters, were exhorting the group-of-six bhikkhunīs. Bhikkhunīs said this to the group-of-six bhikkhunīs: "Come, ladies, let us go to the exhortation (ovāda)." "Ladies, that very exhortation for the sake of which we would go — the venerable ones of the group of six come right here and exhort us with it." Those bhikkhunīs who were of few wishes … criticized, complained, and spread it about, saying: "How can the group-of-six bhikkhunīs not go to the exhortation?" … "Is it true, as is said, bhikkhus, that the group-of-six bhikkhunīs do not go to the exhortation?" "It is true, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them: "How, bhikkhus, can the group-of-six bhikkhunīs not go to the exhortation? This, bhikkhus, is not for the arousing of confidence in those without confidence … And thus, bhikkhus, let the bhikkhunīs recite this training rule: "Should any bhikkhunī not go for the exhortation or for the communion (saṃvāsa), it entails a pācittiya."

English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.

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