Nuns’ Forfeiture (Nissaggiya) 10 (PLI-TV-BI-VB-NP10)

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the nun Thullanandā was very learned, she was a repeater, she was wise, she was skilled in giving dhamma-talk. Many people visited the nun Thullanandā. Now at that time the nun Thullanandā’s cell was falling to pieces. People spoke thus to the nun Thullanandā: “Why is this cell of yours, lady, falling to pieces?”

“Sirs, there are neither benefactors, nor are there workmen.”

Then these people, having made a voluntary collection for the nun Thullanandā’s cell, gave what was necessary to the nun Thullanandā. And the nun Thullanandā, although having herself asked for what was necessary, yet having got medicine in exchange, made use of it. The people, having found out … spread it about, saying: “How can the lady Thullanandā get something in exchange for what was necessary (and) appointed for another thing, destined for another thing, belonging to an individual, (and) that she herself asked for?” …

“Is it true, as is said, monks, that the nun Thullanandā … (and) that she herself asked for?”

“It is true, lord.”

The enlightened one, the lord rebuked them, saying:

“How, monks, can the nun Thullanandā … (and) that she herself asked for? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … this rule of training:

“Whatever nun should get something in exchange for what was necessary (and) appointed for another thing, destined for another thing, belonging to an individual, (and) that she herself asked for, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture.”

Whatever means: … nun is to be understood in this case.

For what was necessary (and) appointed for another thing, destined for another thing… Belonging to an individual means: it is for one nun, not for an Order, not for a group.

That she herself asked for means: oneself having asked for.

Should get something in exchange means: … as above, Bi-NP.6.2.1; read constantly belonging to an individual, (and) that she herself asked for

… if she is the first wrong-doer.

The Book of the Discipline was translated by I.B. Horner.

Digital edition prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato

A complete digital edition can be downloaded here.

Published in 2014 by SuttaCentral.

Originally published by the Pali Text Society in the following years:

Vol. 1: 1938

Vol. 2: 1940

Vol. 3: 1942

Vol. 4: 1951

Vol. 5: 1950

Vol. 6: 1966

In May 2013, these volumes were kindly released by the Pali Text Society under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 licence (CC BY-NC 3.0). The current digital edition, including all revisions, corrections, additions, and modifications, is released under the same terms, which are as follows.

You are free to:

Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.

Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material.

The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.

Under the following terms:

Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.

NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.

No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.