… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain nun entered a village for almsfood without her vest. While she was on the high road gusts of wind blew up her outer cloak. People shouted out: “Beautiful is the waist of the lady.” That nun, being made fun of by the people, became ashamed. Then that nun, having gone to a dwelling, told this matter to the nuns. Those who were modest nuns … spread it about, saying: “How can this nun enter a village without her vest?” …

“Is it true, as is said, monks, that this nun … without her vest?”

“It is true, lord.”

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

“How, monks, can a nun enter a village without her vest? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … this rule of training:

“Whatever nun should enter a village without her vest, there is an offence of expiation.”

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

Without a vest means: without a vest.

Vest means: from below the collar-bone to above the navel, for the sake of covering this.

Should enter a village means: in going beyond the enclosure of a village that is fenced in, there is an offence of expiation. In entering the precincts of a village that is not fenced in, there is an offence of expiation.

There is no offence if she is one whose robe is stolen; if she is one whose robe is lost; if she is ill; if she is not thinking; if she does not know; if there are accidents; if she is mad, if she is the first wrong-doer.

The Ninth Division: that on a sunshade

Recited, ladies, are the hundred and sixty-six rules for offences of expiation. 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 is the Minor (Class)