Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 101Nakedness

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 101

A. ORIGIN STORY

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, at the city of Śrāvastī. At that time, a group of six bhikkhunīs bathed naked in rivers, lakes, and streams. Some prostitutes and women thieves came and said to the bhikkhunīs: "You are still young, the hair under your arms has not yet grown, and yet you have gone forth to train in the path and practice the holy life? While you are still young, you can enjoy sensual pleasures. When you are old, you can then practice the holy life. In this way, you would gain both!" Among those present, some who were young heard this and became displeased.

At that time, the lay people who saw this were indignant: "These bhikkhunīs have no sense of shame. They outwardly claim, 'I know the true Dharma.' What kind of true Dharma is this? They bathe naked in rivers, ponds, lakes, and streams—no different from prostitutes and women thieves!"

The bhikkhunīs heard of this, and among them those who were of few desires and contentment, who lived the ascetic practices, who delighted in training in the precepts, who had a sense of shame, reproached the group of six bhikkhunīs: "Why do you bathe naked in rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, and waterways?"

The bhikkhunīs reported the matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus went and reported it to the Buddha. The Buddha, on account of this cause and condition, assembled the community of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhunīs:

"What you have done is wrong—it is not proper conduct, not the practice of a contemplative, not pure conduct, not fitting behavior; it is something that should not be done. Bhikkhunīs, why do you bathe naked in rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, and waterways?"

The Blessed One, having rebuked the group of six bhikkhunīs by means of countless skillful methods, said to the bhikkhus:

"This group of six bhikkhunīs is a field that cultivates many defiled seeds; they are the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhunīs comprising ten principles of meaning, up to and including the phrase 'for the long endurance of the true Dharma.'"

The rule should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī bathes naked in the water of a river, a stream, a channel, or a pond—a pācittiya offense.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhunī: the meaning is as above.

A bhikkhunī should use four methods to cover her body when bathing: at a bend in the riverbank of a flowing stream; at a place shaded by the shadow of a tree; or where the water itself conceals her; or by covering her body with a robe. With the first three methods, one is not permitted to give or receive articles from one another. When covering the body with a robe, one is permitted to carry out all lawful activities. Whatever bhikkhunī bathes naked in a river, stream, pond, lake, or waterway, and the water reaches her entire body—a pācittiya offense; if the water does not reach her entire body—a duṣkṛta offense.

For a bhikkhu—a duṣkṛta offense. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, or a śrāmaṇerī—a duṣkṛta offense. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: at a bend in the riverbank, at a place shaded by a tree, at a place concealed by water; or when covering the body with a robe; or when seized by force—none of these constitute an offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits the act for the first time before the rule has been laid down; one who is insane, of deranged mind, or afflicted with extreme pain and distress.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA, PART ONE

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

(Chinese translation, fascicles 1–21; Vietnamese translation, volumes 1–2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002