Lzh Dg Bu Pm 2 Np 17Getting a Nun to Wash Wool

The Discourse on the Occasion of Nuns Washing Wool

Background

This discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, recording rules of training in the community of monks and nuns during the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni. Specifically, it belongs to the Pātimokkha regulations, the basic code, for nuns, where the Buddha first set forth principles concerning communal property, meritorious labor, and fairness in the religious community.

At that time, the community of monks and nuns was still small, and regulations concerning basic work in monasteries, storerooms, and daily life were not yet clear. The story of washing wool is connected with conflicts arising from unfair distribution of labor among nuns, or from cases in which communal property was used without following the rules.

Main Content

In the Pāli Vinaya tradition, matters concerning clothing, especially washing and making items from rough materials such as wool (eḷakalomaṃ), are regarded as labor-intensive tasks that can lead to conflict if assignments are not clear. This discourse records a specific rule: when a nun needs to wash wool or thread in order to prepare robes (cīvara), she may not on her own demand that another nun help without agreement or assignment from the resident authority, such as the instructor or manager.

The Buddha taught that if a nun wishes to ask another to wash wool or perform work connected with communal property, this must be done through formal meetings of the community of monks and nuns (Saṅgha), or through those appointed with responsibility for managing daily work. This is intended to avoid situations in which some nuns are exploited, or conflicts arise from unfair allocation of work.

Practical Meaning

This rule extends a basic principle of the Vinaya Piṭaka: all activity concerning communal property and collective labor must follow openness, fairness, and verification by the Saṅgha community.