Nuns’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 42 (PLI-TV-BI-VB-PC42)

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time nuns made use of a sofa and of a divan. People, engaged in touring the dwelling place, having seen (them) … spread it about, saying: “How can these nuns make use of a sofa and of a divan, like women householders who enjoy pleasures of the senses?” Nuns heard these people who … spread it about. Those who were modest nuns … spread it about, saying: “How can these nuns make use of a sofa and of a divan?” …

“Is it true, as is said, monks, that nuns made use of a … divan?”

“It is true, lord.”

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

“How, monks, can nuns make use of a sofa and of a divan? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … this rule of training:

“Whatever nun should make use of a sofa or of a divan, there is an offence of expiation.”

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

Sofa means: it is called of exceeding measure.

Divan means: it is made having brought hair (stuffing).

Should make use of means: if she sits down on it or lies down on it, there is an offence of expiation.

There is no offence if, having cut down the legs of the sofa, she makes use of it; if, having cut out the hair (stuffing) from the divan, she makes use of it; 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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