Lzh Dg Bu Pm 2 Pc 56Bathing
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nahāna
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The Sutta on Bathing (Nahāna)
Background
This sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka — the collection of rules for the monastic practice of the community of monks and nuns in the Theravāda tradition. Specifically, it belongs to the Pātimokkha of the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, where actions and regulations related to the daily life of nuns are recorded.
In the time of Buddha Shakyamuni, the community of nuns had to live according to strict disciplinary principles. Regulations concerning personal hygiene, including bathing, were not only matters of physical cleanliness but also related to ethics, respect for the community, and the spirit of practice. This sutta is mentioned in that context — when nuns needed to understand clearly the limits and norms concerning hygiene in a communal monastic environment.
Main Content
The Sutta on Bathing (Nahāna) prescribes that bhikkhunīs must follow certain rules when bathing. They should not bathe arbitrarily, but must consider the time, place, and manner. In particular, this sutta refers to specific cases, such as bathing during special periods of the female physiological cycle or under unusual environmental conditions.
According to the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha rule, nuns must observe restrictions on bathing places in order to avoid situations that could violate the discipline. This includes not bathing in public places where they may be seen by men, and ensuring that the act of bathing is carried out respectfully and properly.
The sutta may also mention exceptions, such as when a nun is ill or when weather conditions are adverse. These regulations are not unreasonable severity, but are intended to help monastics maintain purity of mind and avoid situations that could distract them in practice.
Practical Meaning
The Nahāna Sutta is not merely a set of dry administrative rules.
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