Nuns’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 40 (PLI-TV-BI-VB-PC40)

… at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove at the squirrels’ feeding place. Now at that time nuns, as before, spent the rains in Rājagaha, the cold weather there, the hot weather there. People … spread it about, saying: “The (four) quarters are blocked, confused with nuns; because of them the (four) quarters are not seen.” Nuns heard these people who … spread it about. Then these nuns told this matter to the monks. The monks told this matter to the lord. Then the lord, on this occasion, in this connection, having given reasoned talk, addressed the monks, saying:

“Because of this, monks, I will lay down a rule of training founded on ten reasons: for the excellence of the Order … And thus, monks, let the nuns set forth this rule of training:

“Whatever nun, having kept the rains, should not set out on almstour, even for (a distance of) five or six yojanas, there is an offence of expiation.”

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

Having kept the rains means: having kept the first three months or the last three months.

If she thinks “I will not set out on almstour, even for (the distance of) five or six yojanas,” in throwing off the responsibility, there is an offence of expiation.

There is no offence if there is an obstacle; if, having looked about for a nun as a companion, she does not get the chance; if she is ill; if there are accidents; if she is mad, if she is the first wrong-doer.

The Fourth Division: that on sharing

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

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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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