Nuns’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 7 (PLI-TV-BI-VB-PC7)

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time nuns, having had raw grain asked for at harvest time, carried it towards the town. (Those) at the gateway, saying: “Ladies, give a portion,” having obstructed (them) let (them) go. Then these nuns, having gone to a dwelling, told this matter to the nuns. Those who were modest nuns … spread it about, saying: “How can these nuns have raw grain asked for?” …

“Is it true, as is said, monks, that the nuns had raw grain asked for?”

“It is true, lord.”

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

“How, monks, can nuns have raw grain asked for? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … this rule of training:

“Whatever nun, having asked for raw grain or having had it asked for, or having roasted it or having caused it to be roasted, or having pounded it or having caused it to be pounded, or having cooked it or having caused it to be cooked, should eat it, there is an offence of expiation.”

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

Raw grain means: rice, paddy, barley, wheat, millet, beans, rye.

Having asked for means: oneself having asked for.

Having had asked for means: having caused another to ask for.

Having roasted means: oneself having roasted.

Having caused to be roasted means: having caused another to roast.

Having pounded means: … Having caused to be pounded means …

Having cooked means: … Having caused to be cooked means: having caused another to cook.

If she says, “I will eat it” (and) accepts it, there is an offence of wrong-doing. For every mouthful, there is an offence of expiation.

There is no offence if it is because of illness, if she has pulses asked for; 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

A complete digital edition can be downloaded here.

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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