[43] Now at that time several bhikkhunīs were traveling along the highroad through the Kosalan country toward Sāvatthī. Among them a certain bhikkhunī, oppressed by the need to relieve her bowels, fell behind alone and came along afterwards. People, seeing that bhikkhunī, violated her. Then that bhikkhunī approached those bhikkhunīs. The bhikkhunīs said this to that bhikkhunī: "Why, lady, did you fall behind alone? We hope you were not assaulted?" "I was assaulted, ladies."
Those bhikkhunīs who were of few wishes … they took offense, criticized, and spread it about, saying: "How indeed can a bhikkhunī fall behind alone from a group?" …
"Is it true, as they say, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhunī fell behind alone from a group?"¹
"It is true, Blessed One."
The Awakened One, the Blessed One, rebuked them: "How indeed, bhikkhus, could a bhikkhunī fall behind alone from a group? This, bhikkhus, is not conducive to the confidence of those without confidence …
"And thus, bhikkhus, let the bhikkhunīs recite this training rule:
"Whatever bhikkhunī should go alone into a village area, or go alone to the far bank of a river, or stay apart alone for a night, or fall behind alone from a group — this bhikkhunī too has committed a matter involving an offense at the very first act (paṭhamāpattika), entailing sending away (nissāraṇīya), a saṅghādisesa."
¹ Variant (M., Yu. editions): "ohīyī" (fell behind) for "ohīyati."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.