8. Uccārachaḍḍanasikkhāpada
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena aññataro brāhmaṇo nibbiṭṭharājabhaṭo “taññeva bhaṭapathaṁ yācissāmī”ti sīsaṁ nahāyitvā bhikkhunupassayaṁ nissāya rājakulaṁ gacchati. Aññatarā bhikkhunī kaṭāhe vaccaṁ katvā tirokuṭṭe chaḍḍentī tassa brāhmaṇassa matthake āsumbhi. Atha kho so brāhmaṇo ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti— “assamaṇiyo imā muṇḍā bandhakiniyo. Kathañhi nāma gūthakaṭāhaṁ matthake āsumbhissanti. Imāsaṁ upassayaṁ jhāpessāmī”ti. Ummukaṁ gahetvā upassayaṁ pavisati. Aññataro upāsako upassayā nikkhamanto addasa taṁ brāhmaṇaṁ ummukaṁ gahetvā upassayaṁ pavisantaṁ. Disvāna taṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca— “kissa tvaṁ, bho, ummukaṁ gahetvā upassayaṁ pavisasī”ti? “Imā maṁ, bho, muṇḍā bandhakiniyo gūthakaṭāhaṁ matthake āsumbhiṁsu. Imāsaṁ upassayaṁ jhāpessāmī”ti. “Gaccha, bho brāhmaṇa, maṅgalaṁ etaṁ. Sahassaṁ lacchasi tañca bhaṭapathan”ti. Atha kho so brāhmaṇo sīsaṁ nahāyitvā rājakulaṁ gantvā sahassaṁ alattha tañca bhaṭapathaṁ. Atha kho so upāsako upassayaṁ pavisitvā bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocetvā paribhāsi. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo uccāraṁ tirokuṭṭe chaḍḍessantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo uccāraṁ tirokuṭṭe chaḍḍentī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo uccāraṁ tirokuṭṭe chaḍḍessanti. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
Disposing of waste over a wall Origin story
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, a brahmin who had earned money by working for the king thought, “I’ll ask for my wages.” After washing his hair, he walked past the nunnery on his way to the king’s residence. Just then, after defecating in a pot, a nun disposed of the feces over a wall, and it landed on the head of that brahmin. He complained and criticized the nuns, “They’re not monastics, these shaven-headed sluts! How can they dump shit on my head? I’m gonna burn down the nunnery!” And he got hold of a firebrand and entered the nunnery. Just then a lay follower who was coming out from the nunnery saw that brahmin with a firebrand on his way in, and he said to him, “Sir, why are you entering the nunnery with a firebrand?” “These shaven-headed sluts dumped shit on my head. I’m gonna burn down the nunnery!” “But this is auspicious, brahmin! You’ll get your wages and a thousand coins in addition.” That brahmin then washed his hair, went to the king’s residence, and he got his wages and a thousand coins in addition. But that lay follower returned to the nunnery, told them what had happened, and then scolded them. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can nuns dispose of feces over a wall?” … “Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them, “How can nuns dispose of feces over a wall? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: