Nuns’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 69 (PLI-TV-BI-VB-PC69)

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time nuns for two years did not wait upon an ordained woman instructor. These were ignorant, inexperienced, they did not know what was allowable or what was not allowable. Those who were modest nuns … spread it about, saying: “How can these nuns for two years not wait upon an ordained woman instructor?” …

“Is it true, as is said, monks, that nuns … woman instructor

“It is true, lord.”

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

“How, monks, can nuns … ordained woman instructor? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … this rule of training:

“Whatever nun for two years should not wait upon an ordained woman instructor, there is an offence of expiation.”

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

Ordained means: the upasampadā, ordination conferred.

Woman instructor means: she is called a woman preceptor.

Two years means: two years.

Should not wait upon means: should not herself attend upon.

If she thinks: “I will not wait upon her for two years,” in throwing off the responsibility, there is an offence of expiation.

There is no offence if the woman preceptor is ignorant or shameless; if he is ill; if there are accidents; if she is mad, if she is the first wrong-doer.

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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