Lzh Dg Bi Vb Sk 77Not Take Buddha Image in Toilet
Pāli / Sanskrit:Not take Buddha image in toilet
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Commentary on the Text: Not Taking a Buddha Image Into a Toilet
Background
This text appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga (Explanation of the Bhikkhunī Rules). The Vinaya Piṭaka is a collection of ethical training rules set forth by Śākyamuni Buddha in order to maintain discipline in the community of monks and bhikkhunīs.
Rules concerning how to treat images or statues of the Buddha were recorded from the early period of Buddhism. They reflect a relationship of respect toward symbols of the Teacher, as well as principles of cleanliness in the space of practice. This text makes concrete an ethical requirement in the daily life of those gone forth, especially bhikkhunīs.
The historical context shows that the Buddha always emphasized reverence for the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. This reverence is not superstitious worship, but a spiritual attitude directed toward liberation. Therefore, the treatment of symbols of the Buddhadharma must be consistent with this noble spiritual principle.
Main Content
The rule forbidding the taking of a Buddha image into a toilet, or any unclean place, is part of the Sekhiya Vagga, the minor rules that help cultivate conduct. These rules are not absolute taboos carrying the penalty of grave sin, but guidance in decorum (śīla) that helps monastics remain alert and straightforward in action.
According to the basic principle, a toilet is regarded as physically unclean. Bringing any revered symbol, especially an image or statue of the Buddha, into such a place is considered disrespectful and inconsistent with the spirit of practice. This is not because the Buddha or the Three Jewels can be materially “defiled,” but because monastics must always nurture a mind of reverence, purity, and vigilance.
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