Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 155Getting Laywomen to Massage

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 155

A. ORIGIN STORY

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika's park, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six bhikkhunīs had laywomen rub and massage their bodies. The laypeople who saw this were all indignant: "These bhikkhunīs have no sense of shame or modesty; they engage in impure conduct. Outwardly they claim to know the true Dharma. But what Dharma is there in this? They have laywomen rub and massage their bodies, just like prostitutes and wicked women!"

The bhikkhunīs heard this, and among them were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the austere dhūta qualities, who were fond of training in the precepts, and who had a sense of shame and modesty. They criticized the group of six bhikkhunīs: "Why do you have laywomen rub and massage your bodies?"

The bhikkhunīs reported the matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus went and reported it to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the Saṅgha of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhunīs:

"What you have done is wrong, unbecoming, not in accordance with the deportment of a monastic, not in accordance with the Dharma of a śramaṇa, not pure conduct, not fitting behavior, and is something that should not be done. Bhikkhunīs, why have you had laywomen rub and massage your bodies?"

Having rebuked them with countless skillful means, the Buddha said to the bhikkhus:

"These bhikkhunīs are a ground that cultivates many seeds of the outflows; they are the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall establish a precept for the bhikkhunīs, comprising ten principles of meaning, up to and including the phrase 'for the long duration of the true Dharma.'"

The precept should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī has laywomen rub and massage her body: pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhunī: the meaning is as above.

Whatever bhikkhunī has laywomen rub and massage her body: pācittiya.

A bhikkhu: duṣkṛta. A śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, a śrāmaṇerī: duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: if one is afflicted with some illness, or is compelled by force, there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who transgresses for the first time before the rule has been established; one who is insane, mentally deranged, or overwhelmed by acute 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, fascicles 1–2)

Buddhist Publications Committee, 2002