Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time the senior monks who instructed the nuns received robe-cloth, almsfood, dwellings, and medicines. And the monks from the group of six said this about them, “The senior monks aren’t instructing the nuns to render a service, but for the sake of worldly gain.”

The monks of few desires … complained and criticized them, “How can the monks from the group of six say that the senior monks aren’t instructing the nuns to render a service, but for the sake of worldly gain?” … “Is it true, monks, that you say this?”

“It’s true, Master.”

The Buddha rebuked them, “… Foolish men, how can you say that the senior monks aren’t instructing the nuns to render a service, but for the sake of worldly gain? This will not give rise to confidence in those without it … And, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:

Final ruling

‘If a monk says that the senior monks are instructing the nuns for the sake of worldly gain, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

A: whoever … Monk: … The monk who has been given the full ordination by a complete Order through a procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is unchallengeable and fit to stand— this sort of monk is meant in this case.

For the sake of worldly gain: for the sake of robe-cloth, for the sake of almsfood, for the sake of a dwelling, for the sake of medicines, for the sake of honor, for the sake of respect, for the sake of deference, for the sake of veneration, for the sake of worship.

Says: if, concerning one who is fully ordained and who has been agreed upon by the Order as an instructor of nuns—desiring to disparage him, desiring to give him a bad reputation, desiring to humiliate him—he says, “He instructs for the sake of robe-cloth/for the sake of almsfood/for the sake of a dwelling/for the sake of medicines/for the sake of honor/for the sake of respect/for the sake of deference/for the sake of veneration/for the sake of worship,” he commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If it is a legitimate procedure, and he perceives it as legitimate, and he says such a thing, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a legitimate procedure, but he is unsure if it is, and he says such a thing, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a legitimate procedure, but he perceives it as illegitimate, and he says such a thing, he commits an offense entailing confession.

When someone who is fully ordained is an instructor of nuns, but he has not been agreed upon by the Order as such, and a monk—desiring to disparage him, desiring to give him a bad reputation, desiring to humiliate him—says, “He instructs for the sake of robe-cloth/for the sake of almsfood/for the sake of a dwelling/for the sake of medicines/for the sake of honor/for the sake of respect/for the sake of deference/for the sake of veneration/for the sake of worship,” he commits an offense of wrong conduct. When someone who is not fully ordained is an instructor of nuns, whether or not he has been agreed upon by the Order as such, and a monk—desiring to disparage him, desiring to give him a bad reputation, desiring to humiliate him—says, “He instructs for the sake of robe-cloth/for the sake of almsfood/for the sake of a dwelling/for the sake of medicines/for the sake of honor/for the sake of respect/for the sake of deference/for the sake of veneration/for the sake of worship,” he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is an illegitimate procedure, but he perceives it as legitimate, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is an illegitimate procedure, but he is unsure if it is, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is an illegitimate procedure, and he perceives it as illegitimate, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he normally gives the instruction for the sake of robe-cloth/for the sake of almsfood/for the sake of a dwelling/for the sake of medicines/for the sake of honor/for the sake of respect/for the sake of deference/for the sake of veneration/for the sake of worship; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The fourth rule, the training rule on worldly gain, is finished.