Once again Thullanandā told the judges and the judges jailed him. People then complained and criticized those nuns, “First the nuns take his storehouse, then they have him punished, and then they have him jailed. Next they’ll have him executed!” Nuns heard the complaints of those people, and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, “How could Venerable Thullanandā take legal action?” Then those nuns told the monks … “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā is taking legal action?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked her … “How could the nun Thullanandā take legal action? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

Final ruling ‘If a nun takes legal action against a householder or a householder’s offspring or a slave or a worker or even toward a monastic or a wanderer, then that nun has committed an immediate offense entailing sending away and suspension.’”

Definitions A: whoever … Nun: … The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case. Takes legal action: what is meant is that she is the initiator of a lawsuit. A householder: anyone who lives at home. A householder’s offspring: whoever is an offspring or a sibling.