Wearing a hip ornament (PLI-TV-BI-VB-PC86)

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Nuns’ Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

The subchapter on sunshades and sandals

Wearing a hip ornament

Origin story

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

there was a nun was associating with the family of a certain woman.

That woman said to that nun,

“Venerable, please give this hip ornament to such-and-such a woman.”

The nun thought,

“If I carry it in my almsbowl, I’ll get into trouble,” and so she put it on and then left.

While she was walking along a street the threads snapped and were scattered all over.

People complained and criticized her,

“How can nuns wear hip ornaments? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!”

The nuns heard the complaints of those people.

The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,

“How could a nun wear a hip ornament?” …

“Is it true, monks, that a nun did this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked her …

“How could a nun do this?

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

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

Final ruling

‘If a nun wears a hip ornament, 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.

A hip ornament:

whatever goes on the hip.

Wears:

if she wears it even once, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if she wears it because she is sick;

if she wears a girdle;

if she is insane;

if she is the first offender.

The third training rule is finished.