… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the nun Thullanandā, stood together with and talked with a man, the one with the other, on a carriage road and in a cul-de-sac and at cross-roads, and she whispered in his ear and she dismissed the nun who was her companion. Those who were modest nuns … spread it about, saying:

“How can the lady Thullanandā stand together with … at cross-roads, and whisper in his ear and dismiss the nun who is her companion?” …

“Is it true, as is said, monks, that the nun Thullanandā stood together with … and dismissed the nun who is her companion?”

“It is true, lord.”

The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked them, saying:

“How, monks, can the nun Thullanandā stand together with … and dismiss the nun who is her companion? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … this rule of training:

“Whatever nun should stand together with or should talk with a man, the one with the other, on a carriage road or in a cul-de-sac or at cross-roads or should whisper in his ear or should dismiss the nun who is her companion, there is an offence of expiation.”

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

Carriage road means: it is called a carriage road.

Cul-de-sac means: they depart by that (way) by which they entered.

Cross-roads means: it is called a place where four roads meet.

Man means: a human man, not a yakkha, not a departed one, not an animal; one who is learned, competent to stand, to talk.

Together with means: together.

The one with the other means: there is a man as well as a nun.

Should stand together with means: … offence of expiation.

Or should talk with means: … offence of expiation.

Or should whisper in his ear means: if she talks close into a man’s ear, there is an offence of expiation.

Or should dismiss the nun who is her companion means: if, desiring to indulge in bad habits, she then dismisses the nun who is her companion, there is an offence of wrong-doing. In leaving the region of sight or the region of hearing, there is an offence of wrong-doing. When she has left, there, is an offence of expiation. If she stands or talks, having left (the space of) a reach of the hand, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If she stands together with or talks with a yakkha or a departed one or a eunuch or an animal in human form, there is an offence of wrong-doing.

There is no offence if some learned friend comes to be (present); if, not wishing for a private place she stands or talks thinking about something else; if, not wishing to indulge in bad habits, she dismisses the nun who is her companion if there is something to be done; if she is mad, if she is the first wrong-doer.