26. Cīvarasibbanasikkhāpada
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā udāyī paṭṭo hoti cīvarakammaṁ kātuṁ. Aññatarā bhikkhunī yenāyasmā udāyī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ etadavoca— “sādhu me, bhante, ayyo cīvaraṁ sibbatū”ti. Atha kho āyasmā udāyī tassā bhikkhuniyā cīvaraṁ sibbitvā surattaṁ suparikammakataṁ katvā majjhe paṭibhānacittaṁ vuṭṭhāpetvā saṁharitvā nikkhipi. Atha kho sā bhikkhunī yenāyasmā udāyī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ etadavoca— “kahaṁ taṁ, bhante, cīvaran”ti? “Handa, bhagini, imaṁ cīvaraṁ yathāsaṁhaṭaṁ haritvā nikkhipitvā yadā bhikkhunisaṅgho ovādaṁ āgacchati tadā imaṁ cīvaraṁ pārupitvā bhikkhunisaṅghassa piṭṭhito piṭṭhito āgacchā”ti. Atha kho sā bhikkhunī taṁ cīvaraṁ yathāsaṁhaṭaṁ haritvā nikkhipitvā yadā bhikkhunisaṅgho ovādaṁ āgacchati tadā taṁ cīvaraṁ pārupitvā bhikkhunisaṅghassa piṭṭhito piṭṭhito āgacchati. Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “yāva chinnikā imā bhikkhuniyo dhuttikā ahirikāyo, yatra hi nāma cīvare paṭibhānacittaṁ vuṭṭhāpessantī”ti. Bhikkhuniyo evamāhaṁsu— “kassidaṁ kamman”ti? “Ayyassa udāyissā”ti. “Yepi te chinnakā dhuttakā ahirikā tesampi evarūpaṁ na sobheyya, kiṁ pana ayyassa udāyissā”ti. Atha kho tā bhikkhuniyo bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma āyasmā udāyī bhikkhuniyā cīvaraṁ sibbissatī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, udāyi, bhikkhuniyā cīvaraṁ sibbasī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. “Ñātikā te, udāyi, aññātikā”ti? “Aññātikā, bhagavā”ti. “Aññātako, moghapurisa, aññātikāya na jānāti patirūpaṁ vā appatirūpaṁ vā pāsādikaṁ vā apāsādikaṁ vā. Kathañhi nāma tvaṁ, moghapurisa, aññātikāya bhikkhuniyā cīvaraṁ sibbissasi. Netaṁ, moghapurisa, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
Sewing a robe for a nun Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time Venerable Udāyī had become skilled in making robes. On one occasion a certain nun went to Udāyī and said to him, “Venerable, would you please sew me a robe?” He then sewed a robe for that nun, well-dyed and beautifully made, and he drew a picture in the middle of it. He then folded it and put it aside. Soon afterwards that nun went to Udāyī and said, “Sir, where’s the robe?” “Now, sister, take this robe as it’s folded and put it aside. When the Sangha of nuns goes to the instruction, then put it on and follow right behind the other nuns.” And that nun did just that. People complained and criticized her, “How indecent these nuns are, what shameless scoundrels, in drawing pictures on their robes!” The nuns asked her, “Who did this?” “Venerable Udāyī.” “This sort of work would not even make an indecent, shameless scoundrel look good, let alone Venerable Udāyī.” The nuns told the monks, and the monks of few desires complained and criticized him, “How could Venerable Udāyī sew a robe for a nun?” … “Is it true, Udāyī, that you did this?” “It’s true, sir.” “Is she a relative of yours?” “No.” “Foolish man, a man and a woman who are unrelated don’t know what’s appropriate and inappropriate, what’s inspiring and uninspiring, in dealing with each other. And still you did this. This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: