… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time monks who were elders exhorted the nuns in turn. Now at that time it came to be the turn of the venerable Cūḷapanthaka to exhort the nuns. The nuns said:

“Now today the exhortation will not be effective, for now master Cūḷapanthaka will speak the same stanza again and again.”

Then these nuns approached the venerable Cūḷapanthaka, and having approached and greeted the venerable Cūḷapanthaka, they sat down at a respectful distance. As they were sitting down at a respectful distance, the venerable Cūḷapanthaka spoke thus to these nuns:

“Sisters, are you all come?”

“Master, we are all come.”

“Sisters, are the eight important rules being kept up?”

“They are being kept up, master.”

“Sisters, this is the exhortation,” (and) delivering (it) he spoke this stanza again and again:

“For the sage, high-minded, zealous,
trained in paths of wisdom,
For such, tranquil, ever mindful,
sorrows come not to be.”

The nuns spoke thus: “Is it not as we said? The exhortation will not now become effective today, for now master Cūḷapanthaka will speak the same stanza again and again.”

The venerable Cūḷapanthaka heard this conversation of those nuns. Then the venerable Cūḷapanthaka, rising up above the ground, paced up and down in the air, in the sky, then he stood, then he sat down, then he lay down in a sleeping-place, then he was obscured, then blazed forth, then he disappeared; he spoke this same stanza and another long utterance of the enlightened one. The nuns spoke thus:

“Indeed it is wonderful, good-sir, indeed it is marvellous, good sir, indeed never before has an exhortation come to be so effective as this one of master Cūḷapanthaka.”

Then the venerable Cūḷapanthaka, exhorting these nuns until the dark of the night, dismissed them, saying: “Go, sisters.” Then these nuns, staying outside the town because the town-gate was closed, entered the town in the morning. People looked down upon, criticised, spread it about, saying:

“These nuns are not leading the Brahma-life; having remained together with monks in the monastery, now they are entering the town.”

Monks heard these people who … spread it about. Those who were modest monks … spread it about, saying:

“How can the venerable Cūḷapanthaka exhort nuns after sunset?” …

“Is it true, as is said, that you, Cūḷapanthaka, exhorted nuns after sunset?”

“It is true, lord.”

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

“How can you, Cūḷapanthaka … after sunset? Cūḷapanthaka, it is not for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth:

“If a monk, even though agreed upon, should exhort nuns after sunset, there is an offence of expiation.”

Agreed upon means: agreed upon by an (official) act at which the motion is put three times and then followed by the decision.

After sunset means: after the sun has gone down.

Nuns means: ordained by both Orders.

Should exhort means: if he exhorts concerning the eight important rules or concerning another rule, there is an offence of expiation.

If he thinks that (the sun) has set when it has set (and) exhorts, there is an offence of expiation. If he is in doubt as to whether it has set (and) exhorts, there is an offence of expiation. If he thinks that it has not set when it has set ( and) exhorts, there is an offence of expiation. If he exhorts one who has been ordained by one (Order only), there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he thinks that it has set when it has not set, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he is in doubt as to whether it has not set, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he thinks that it has not set when it has not set, there is no offence.

There is no offence (in) giving an exposition, giving an interrogation; if he expounds being called upon: ‘Expound, master if she asks a question; if, having asked a question, he speaks; if, talking for the good of another, nuns hear; if it is to a female probationer, if it is to a female novice; if he is mad, if he is the first wrong-doer.

The Second