四分律比丘含注戒本 1.174

1.174

佛在羅閱祇，聽諸比丘作私房室。曠野比丘便作大房，乞求煩多，惱亂居士。乞既難得，遂斫神樹。神及比丘以事白佛。因往曠野訶責、引喻，便制此戒。

The Buddha was in Rājagṛha, and permitted the bhikṣus to build private huts. The bhikṣus of Āṭavī then built large huts, begging for so much that they annoyed and disturbed the householders. As begging was hard to fulfill, they ended up cutting down a sacred tree. The tree deity and the bhikṣus reported the matter to the Buddha. The Buddha thereupon went to Āṭavī, rebuked them, drew parables, and then formulated this precept.