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1. The Section on Defeats (The Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga) 1. The First Defeat 656. At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, at Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. At that time Sāḷha, Migāra's grandson, desired to build a monastery for the community of bhikkhunīs. Then Sāḷha, Migāra's grandson, approached the bhikkhunīs and said this: "I wish, ladies, to build a monastery for the community of bhikkhunīs. Please give me a bhikkhunī for supervision of construction." At that time four sisters had gone forth among the bhikkhunīs—Nandā, Nandavatī, Sundarīnandā, and Thullanandā. Among them, Sundarīnandā the bhikkhunī was a young renunciant, beautiful, pleasing to the eye, charming, wise, articulate, intelligent, skillful, diligent, endowed with the appropriate discerning inquiry, capable of doing, capable of arranging. Then the community of bhikkhunīs appointed Sundarīnandā the bhikkhunī and gave her to Sāḷha, Migāra's grandson, for supervision of construction. At that time Sundarīnandā the bhikkhunī frequently went to Sāḷha, Migāra's grandson's residence, saying: "Give me an adze, give me an axe, give me a hatchet, give me a spade, give me a pickaxe." Sāḷha, Migāra's grandson, also frequently went to the bhikkhunī's residence to know what was done and what was not done. They became attached in mind through frequent seeing. Then Sāḷha, Migāra's grandson, being unable to find an opportunity to corrupt Sundarīnandā the bhikkhunī, for that very purpose offered a meal to the community of bhikkhunīs. Then Sāḷha, Migāra's grandson, arranging seats at the meal, arranged a seat apart, saying: "So many bhikkhunīs are senior to venerable Sundarīnandā"; he arranged a seat apart, saying: "So many are junior." He arranged a seat for Sundarīnandā the bhikkhunī in a secluded, hidden place, so that the senior bhikkhunīs would know: "Near the junior bhikkhunīs are seated.” And the new bhikkhunīs would know: “They are seated with the elder bhikkhunīs.” Then Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson, had the bhikkhunī Saṅgha informed of the time: “It is time, ladies, the meal is ready.” Bhikkhunī Sundarīnandā reflected: “Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson, did not prepare the meal for the bhikkhunī Saṅgha with much care; he wants to disgrace me. If I go, I will be without a protector.” So she instructed her attendant bhikkhunī: “Go, bring out my almsfood. If anyone asks about me, report that I am sick.” “Yes, lady,” that bhikkhunī replied to Bhikkhunī Sundarīnandā. Now at that time, Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson, was standing outside the gatehouse, asking about Bhikkhunī Sundarīnandā: “Where, lady, is the venerable Sundarīnandā? Where, lady, is the venerable Sundarīnandā?” When this was said, the attendant bhikkhunī of Bhikkhunī Sundarīnandā said to Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson: “She is sick, friend; I will bring out her almsfood.” Then Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson, thinking, “I prepared this meal for the bhikkhunī Saṅgha on account of the venerable Sundarīnandā,” instructed his servants: “Serve the bhikkhunī Saṅgha with the meal.” Having said this, he approached the bhikkhunī residence. Now at that time, Bhikkhunī Sundarīnandā was standing outside the monastery gatehouse, waiting for Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson. Bhikkhunī Sundarīnandā saw Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson, coming from afar. Having seen him, she entered the residence, covered herself head to foot, and lay down on a couch. Then Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson, approached Bhikkhunī Sundarīnandā. Having approached, he said to Bhikkhunī Sundarīnandā: “What is wrong with you, lady? Why are you lying down?” “This is how it is, friend, for one who desires what is not desired.” “Why, lady, did I not desire you?” Master? I do not even get a chance to blame him.” Infatuated, he engaged in bodily contact with the infatuated nun Sundarīnandā. Now at that time, a certain nun, frail with age, and with ailing feet, was lying not far from the nun Sundarīnandā. That nun saw Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson, infatuated, engaging in bodily contact with the infatuated nun Sundarīnandā. Having seen this, she complained, she grumbled, she criticized: “How can the venerable Sundarīnandā, being infatuated, consent to bodily contact with an infatuated man?” Then that nun reported this matter to the nuns. Those nuns who were of few desires, content, shameful, scrupulous, and desirous of training, complained, grumbled, criticized: “How can the venerable Sundarīnandā, being infatuated, consent to bodily contact with an infatuated man?” Then those nuns reported this matter to the monks. Those monks who were of few desires, content, shameful, scrupulous, and desirous of training, complained, grumbled, criticized: “How can the nun Sundarīnandā, being infatuated, consent to bodily contact with an infatuated man?” Then those monks, having rebuked the nun Sundarīnandā in many ways, reported this matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, on account of this cause, on account of this incident, having assembled the community of monks, questioned the monks: “Is it true, monks, that the nun Sundarīnandā, being infatuated, consented to bodily contact with an infatuated man?” “It is true, Blessed One.” The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked her: “It is not fitting, monks, for the nun Sundarīnandā, it is not suitable, it is not proper, it is not the way of a recluse, it is not allowable, it should not be done. How can the nun Sundarīnandā, monks, being infatuated, consent to bodily contact with an infatuated man?” a man's body contact! This, monks, is not for the appeasement of the unappeased, nor for the increase of the appeased. Rather, monks, this is for the disfavor of the unappeased, and for the alteration of some of the appeased. Then the Blessed One, having rebuked the bhikkhunī Sundarīnandā in many ways for being difficult to support, difficult to maintain, having great desires, being discontent, for her association, and having spoken dispraise of laziness; and having spoken praise in many ways of being easy to support, easy to maintain, having few desires, being content, of effacement, of the ascetic practice, of being pleasing, of non-accumulation, of the arousal of energy; having given a Dhamma talk suitable and appropriate for the bhikkhus, addressed the bhikkhus: "Therefore, monks, I shall lay down a training rule for bhikkhunīs, based on ten advantages: for the excellence of the Sangha, for the well-being of the Sangha, for the restraint of unruly bhikkhunīs, for the comfortable living of conscientious bhikkhunīs, for the restraint of defilements in this present life, for the prevention of defilements in future lives, for the appeasement of the unappeased, for the increase of the appeased, for the establishment of the True Dhamma, for the support of the Vinaya. And thus, monks, let the bhikkhunīs recite this training rule: 657. "Whatever bhikkhunī, being lustful, should consent to touching, or stroking, or grasping, or fondling, or pressing a lustful man's body below the armpit and above the knee-cap, she too is defeated, not in communion, one who has gone above the knee-cap." 658. "Whatever" means: whatever kind, however she is, however she is called, however she is born, however she is named, however she is of lineage, however she is of virtue, however she lives, however she ranges, whether old, or new, or middle-aged, this is called "whatever." "Bhikkhunī" means: one who begs, thus a bhikkhunī; one who has undertaken the mendicant's life, thus a bhikkhunī; one who wears torn robes, thus a bhikkhunī; a bhikkhunī by common designation; a bhikkhunī by declaration. A nun; A nun who says, "Come, nun!"; A nun ordained by the three refuges; A good nun; An excellent nun; A trainee nun; A perfected nun; A nun ordained by a unanimous Sangha of both sides, by a four-proclamation act, unshakeable, worthy of the status. Among these, the nun who is ordained by a unanimous Sangha of both sides, by a four-proclamation act, unshakeable, worthy of the status, this is the nun intended in this context. "Avassutā" means infatuated, longing, with mind attached. "Avassuto" means infatuated, longing, with mind attached. A "male person" means a human male, not a yakkha, not a ghost, not an animal, discerning, capable of engaging in bodily contact. "Below the armpit" means below the armpit. "Above the knee-cap" means above the knee-cap. "Touching" means merely touched. "Fondling" means moving it here and there. "Grasping" means merely grasped. "Touching" means merely touched. "Or enjoying pressing" means taking a limb and enjoying the squeezing. "This also" is said with reference to the former ones. "She incurs a pārājika" means: Just as a man whose head has been cut off is unable to live with that body, even so, a nun who is aroused, enjoying touching or fondling or grasping or touching or pressing a male person who is aroused, below the armpit and above the knee-cap, is not a recluse, not a daughter of the Sakyan. Therefore it is said, "She incurs a pārājika." "She is not in communion" means: Communion means one act, one recitation, one training. This is called communion. That is not with her. Therefore it is said, "She is not in communion." 659. When both are aroused, if she touches body with body, she incurs a pārājika. If she touches a body-bound object with body, she incurs a serious offense. If she touches body with a body-bound object, she incurs a serious offense. If she touches a body-bound object with a body-bound object, she incurs a minor offense. With something to be relinquished, he touches the body, an offense of wrong-doing. With something to be relinquished, he touches something attached to the body, an offense of wrong-doing. With something to be relinquished, he touches something to be relinquished, an offense of wrong-doing. Above the armpits, below the knees, he touches body with body, an offense of a grave fault.