Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 155Getting Laywomen to Massage
Pāli / Sanskrit:Gihinī-ummaddāpana
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GIHINĪ-UMMADDĀPANA SUTTA
On Asking Laywomen to Give Massage
Background
In the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha records strict rules of practice for women disciples who have gone forth. Rule 155 on "Gihinī-ummaddāpana" (asking a laywoman to give massage) arose from a specific historical context. During the Buddha's lifetime, some bhikkhunīs were ill or weary and needed bodily care. However, bodily contact between male and female practitioners could easily lead to misunderstanding or create difficulty for the mind in practice, especially in a context where the lay community might not clearly understand the religious motivation.
The law for bhikkhunīs was established by the Buddha to protect both the purity of women practitioners and the wider Buddhist community. This rule therefore does not completely prohibit massage, but regulates the manner in which it is performed in order to limit direct bodily contact with those who are not relatives.
Main Content
The Gihinī-ummaddāpana rule prohibits bhikkhunīs from asking laywomen (gihinī) to massage them, especially full-body massage or massage of sensitive parts. If a bhikkhunī needs bodily care for reasons of health, that action must be performed under certain conditions: with witnesses present, carried out by close attendants, or through other means such as using oil, herbal self-care, or receiving help from other bhikkhunīs.
The purpose of this rule is not to create hardship, but to protect the purity of celibate conduct (brahmacaryā), the foundation of the life of practice. It also aims to avoid unnecessary suspicions from the lay community, which can easily give rise to misunderstanding when bodily contact is seen between a nun and a male layperson, or even between a nun and a laywoman in unclear circumstances.
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