Suttakantana

Theravāda Vinaya

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

Bhikkhunivibhaṅga

The Nuns’ Analysis

Pācittiyakaṇḍa

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

Cittāgāravagga

The subchapter on galleries

43. Suttakantanasikkhāpada

Spinning yarn

Origin story

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

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

Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo suttaṁ kantanti.

the nuns from the group of six were spinning yarn.

Manussā vihāracārikaṁ āhiṇḍantā passitvā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

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

“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo suttaṁ kantissanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti.

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

Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.

The nuns heard the complaints of those people,

Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,

“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo suttaṁ kantissantī”ti …pe…

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

“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo suttaṁ kantantī”ti?

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

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

“It’s true, sir.”

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…

The Buddha rebuked them …

kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo suttaṁ kantissanti.

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

Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

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

Final ruling

“Yā pana bhikkhunī suttaṁ kanteyya, pācittiyan”ti.

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

Definitions

Yā panāti

A:

yā yādisā …pe…

whoever …

bhikkhunīti

Nun:

…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti.

… 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.

Suttaṁ nāma

Yarn:

cha suttāni—

there are six kinds of yarn:

khomaṁ, kappāsikaṁ, koseyyaṁ, kambalaṁ, sāṇaṁ, bhaṅgaṁ.

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

Kanteyyāti

Spins:

sayaṁ kantati, payoge dukkaṭaṁ.

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

Ujjavujjave āpatti pācittiyassa.

For every pull, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Non-offenses

Anāpatti—

There is no offense:

kantitasuttaṁ kantati,

if she spins yarn that has already been spun;

ummattikāya,

if she is insane;

ādikammikāyāti.

if she is the first offender.

Tatiyasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

The third training rule is finished.