Nuns’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 19 (PLI-TV-BI-VB-PC19)

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time nuns, not seeing their own things, spoke thus to the nun Caṇḍakālī: “Has the lady not seen our things?” The nun Caṇḍakālī … spread it about, saying:

“What, am I a thief then? What, am I just shameless? That these ladies, not seeing their own things, spoke thus to me: ‘Has the lady not seen our things?’ If indeed, ladies, I take your things I am not a true recluse, I am falling away from the Brahma-life, I rise up in hell. But whoever speaks thus of me when it is not a fact, let her too be not a true recluse, let her fall away from the Brahma-life, let her rise up in hell.”

Those who were modest nuns … spread it about, saying:

“How can the lady Caṇḍakālī curse herself as well as another with hell as well as with the Brahma-life?” …

“Is it true, as is said, monks, that the nun Caṇḍakālī cursed herself … with the Brahma-life?”

“It is true, lord.”

The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked them, saying:

“How, monks, can the nun Caṇḍakālī curse herself as well as another with hell as well as with the Brahma-life? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … this rule of training:

“Whatever nun should curse herself or another with hell or with the Brahma-life, there is an offence of expiation.”

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

Herself means: herself (individually).

Another means: one who is ordained.

If she curses with hell or with the Brahma-life, there is an offence of expiation.

If she thinks that she is ordained when she is ordained (and) curses (her) with hell or with the Brahma-life, there is an offence of expiation. If she is in doubt as to whether she is ordained … If she thinks that she is not ordained when she is ordained … offence of expiation. If she curses (her) with animal birth or with the realm of the departed or with human misfortune, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If she curses one who is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If she thinks that she is ordained when she is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If she is in doubt as to whether she is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If she thinks that she is not ordained when she is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing.

There is no offence if she is aiming at (explaining) the goal, if she is aiming at (explaining) a rule, if she is aiming at (explaining) the teaching; if she is mad, 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

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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

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