Theravāda Vinayapiṭaka

Nuns’ rules and their analysis

Nuns’ Confession (Pāṭidesaniya) 2–8

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the group of six nuns having had oil asked for, partook of it … having had honey … molasses … fish … meat … milk … curds asked for, partook of them. People … Bi-Pd.1.1.1Bi-Pd.1.1.2. Instead of ghee read curds … “… this rule of training:

Whatever nun who is not ill, having had oil (honey, molasses, fish, meat, milk, curds) asked for, should partake of it, it should be confessed by that nun, saying: ‘I have fallen, ladies, into a blameworthy matter, unbecoming, which ought to be confessed; I confess it.’”


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

Not ill means: for whom there comes to be comfort without curds.

Ill means: for whom there does not come to be comfort without curds.

Oil means: sesamum oil, oil of mustard seeds, oil containing honey, oil of the castor-oil plant, oil from tallow. Honey means: honey of bees. Molasses means: what is produced from sugar-cane. Fish means: it is called one that lives in water. Meat means: the meat of those whose meat is allowable. Milk means: milk of cows or milk of she-goats or milk of buffaloes, milk ‘of those whose meat is allowable. Curds means: curds from just these.

If she is not ill and has them asked for for herself … Bi-Pd.1.2. Instead of ghee read curds. … if she is the first wrong-doer.


Recited, ladies, are the eight rules for offences which ought to be confessed. Concerning them, I ask the ladies: I hope that you are quite pure in this matter? And a second time I ask: I hope that you are quite pure in this matter? And a third time I ask: I hope that you are quite pure in this matter? The ladies are quite pure in this matter, therefore they are silent; thus do I understand this.

Told are the offences which ought to be confessed.