Lzh Mg Bi Pn 24Twenty Four

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– ON THE OPENING SECTION OF THE MISCELLANEOUS RULES

ONE MUST NOT ADORN WOMEN.

When the Buddha was dwelling at Śrāvastī, there were at that time girls from the Śākya clan, the Mālla clan, and the Licchavi clan — daughters of noble families who had gone forth — who were very skilled in the art of adornment. Then, when girls were to be married or young men were to take wives, they would be hired to apply adornments, and through this they obtained fine food; because of this, people of the world mocked them, saying: "These are not those who have gone forth — they are professional beauticians."

The bhikkhunīs then brought this matter before the Blessed One. In the end, the Buddha instructed: "From this day forward, one must not adorn women. Adorning means: combing hair, applying eye cosmetics, spreading powder on the face, painting the lips, and so forth. If anyone uses the craft of adornment as a means of livelihood, she commits an offense of Vinaya transgression. However, if one suffers from a headache or an eye ailment, applying medicine or instilling medicine drops incurs no offense. This is what is called adornment."

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH