Spinning yarn (PLI-TV-BI-VB-PC43)

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Nuns’ Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

The subchapter on galleries

Spinning yarn

Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,

the nuns from the group of six were spinning yarn.

When people walking about the dwellings saw this, they complained and criticized them,

“How can the nuns spin yarn? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!”

The nuns heard the complaints of those people,

and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,

“How can the nuns from the group of six spin yarn?” …

“Is it true, monks, that those nuns do this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them …

“How can the nuns from the group of six do this?

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

Final ruling

‘If a nun spins yarn, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

A:

whoever …

Nun:

… The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case.

Yarn:

there are six kinds of yarn:

linen, cotton, silk, wool, sunn hemp, and hemp.¹

Spins:

if she spins it herself, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct.

For every pull, she commits an offense entailing confession.²

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if she spins yarn that has already been spun;

if she is insane;

if she is the first offender.

The third training rule is finished.