Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 56Bathing

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

56. BATHING ONCE A FORTNIGHT

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Bamboo Grove, the Kalandaka Park, in the city of Rājagaha, where there was a pond. At that time, King Bimbisāra of Magadha permitted the monks to enter the pond for bathing and washing.

One day, in the last watch of the night before dawn had appeared, the group of six monks entered the pond to bathe and wash. At that same time, before dawn had appeared, King Bimbisāra and his court ladies wished to come to the pond to bathe. Looking over, the King heard the sounds of the group of six monks bathing in the pond, and asked the attendants on either side of him:

"Who is bathing in the pond?"

They replied:

"Those are monks, Your Majesty."

The King commanded:

"Do not make a great noise. Do not cause the monks who have not yet finished bathing to have to leave."

At that time, the group of six monks used various fine powdered medicines and rubbed and bathed one another, until the sun had risen and they had still not finished bathing. In the end, the King was unable to bathe and had to return to the palace. All the ministers were angry and resentful. They said to one another:

"These Sakyan ascetics have no sense of shame. Outwardly they claim to practice the true Dharma. But what kind of true Dharma is this? In the last watch of the night they lead one another into the pond, use various fine powdered medicines to bathe one another, and continue until daylight appears. In the end they caused the King to be unable to bathe and to return to his palace."

The monks heard of this matter, and among them were those who were of few desires, content, who practiced the dhūta qualities, who delighted in learning the precepts, who knew shame, and they reproached the group of six monks: "Why did you enter the pond in the last watch of the night, use various fine powdered medicines to bathe one another, and continue until daylight appeared, causing the King to be unable to bathe?"

The monks went to where the Blessed One was, bowed at his feet, sat to one side, and fully reported this matter to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, convened an assembly of the community of monks and rebuked the group of six monks:

"What you have done is wrong, not in accordance with proper conduct, not in accordance with the practice of ascetics, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with dutiful behavior—it is something that should not be done. Why did you enter the pond to bathe in the last watch of the night, use fine powdered medicines to bathe one another, and continue until daylight, causing the King to be unable to bathe and to return?"

The Blessed One rebuked the group of six monks with numerous skillful means, and then said to the monks:

"These foolish men are a field for growing many seeds of the āsravas; they are the first to commit this offense. From now on, I will lay down a rule for the monks, comprising ten principles of meaning, up to and including the phrase 'so that the true Dharma may long endure.'"

Wishing to recite the rule, it should be recited thus:

Whatever monk bathes more than once a fortnight—pācittiya.

The Blessed One thus laid down this rule for the monks. At that time, during the hot season, some monks developed boils on their bodies and sweated with a foul odor, yet out of fear and caution they did not dare to bathe, worried they would violate the rule of bathing only once a fortnight.

The monks reported this to the Buddha. The Buddha permitted the monks to bathe as needed during the hot season. From now on the rule should be recited thus:

Whatever monk bathes more than once a fortnight—pācittiya. Except in special circumstances, that is, during the hot season.

The Blessed One thus laid down this rule for the monks. Among the sick monks, some had boils on their bodies, sweated with a foul odor, or had fouled themselves with excrement and urine, yet out of fear and caution they did not dare to bathe, worried they would violate the rule of bathing only once a fortnight. The monks reported this to the Buddha, and the Buddha said:

"Sick monks are permitted to bathe according to their needs."

From now on the rule should be recited thus:

Whatever monk bathes more than once a fortnight—pācittiya. Except in special circumstances, that is, during the hot season, or when ill.

The Blessed One thus laid down this rule for the monks. When monks were working, their bodies sweated and became foul-smelling; the monks were fearful and did not dare to bathe, and reported this to the Buddha. The Buddha permitted monks who were working to bathe according to their needs.

From now on the rule should be recited thus:

Whatever monk bathes more than once a fortnight—pācittiya. Except in special circumstances, that is, during the hot season, when ill, or when working.

The Blessed One thus laid down this rule for the monks. At that time, some monks traveled through wind and rain, developed boils on their bodies, sweated until they were filthy, and were soiled with dust and dirt; out of caution and fear they did not dare to bathe, and reported this to the Buddha. The Buddha permitted monks to bathe as needed during wind and rain.

From now on the rule should be recited thus:

Whatever monk bathes more than once a fortnight—pācittiya. Except in special circumstances, that is, during the hot season, when ill, when working, or during wind and rain.

The Blessed One thus laid down this rule for the monks. At that time, monks traveling on the road suffered from the heat, developed sores, perspired heavily and were covered with dust and impurities, unclean; out of fear and caution they did not dare to bathe, and reported this to the Buddha. The Buddha said, "Monks traveling on the road are permitted to bathe according to their needs."

From now on the rule should be recited thus:

Whatever monk bathes more than once a fortnight—pācittiya. Except in special circumstances, that is, during the hot season, when ill, when working, during wind and rain, or when traveling—these are the exceptional circumstances.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Monk: as explained above.

Hot season: the last forty-five days of spring and the first month of summer are the hot season.

Illness: even when the body is foul and unclean, this is called illness.

Working: even as little as sweeping the ground in front of one's cell.

During wind and rain: even a single gust of whirlwind, or a single drop of rain falling on the body.

When traveling: even traveling a mere half a yojana, including both the outward and return journey.

If a monk bathes more than once a fortnight, except in the exceptional circumstances; if he exceeds this, even if he only pours water over his entire body to wet it—pācittiya; or if the water poured only wets half the body—also pācittiya; or if he prepares the means intending to bathe but does not actually bathe—all such cases are dukkaṭa.

For a bhikkhunī—pācittiya. For a sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī—dukkaṭa. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: bathing once a fortnight; during the hot season, when ill, when working, during wind, during rain, when traveling—bathing frequently is permitted; or if one is seized by force and compelled to bathe—there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits an offense for the first time before the rule has been laid down; one who is insane, mentally disturbed, or in 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, fascicles 1–2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002