Lzh Mi Bu Vb Pc 70Bathing

Explanation of the Bathing Text (Nahāna)

Background

The Bathing text belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, a sacred part of the Pāli Canon in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. In the context of early Buddhism, regulations concerning bodily hygiene for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs were not merely matters of daily living, but were directly related to practice, maintaining health in order to focus on study and training, and building an image of virtue within the community of faith.

This text is recorded in the Vinaya, specifically in the Pācittiya section, training rules concerning wrongful conduct that, when violated, require bhikkhus to perform confession. Bathing is regulated in detail by Buddhist law, reflecting the philosophy that even the most natural actions should be performed with mindfulness (sati) and right view (sammādiṭṭhi).

Main Content

The Bathing text states that bhikkhus should bathe the body reasonably and appropriately. Specifically, the regulation emphasizes that bathing is a lawful hygienic activity for removing dirt, maintaining health, and preserving bodily cleanliness. However, the text also warns that one should not bathe with an attitude of desire, seeking pleasure, or trying to please others through bodily beauty.

Bhikkhus are encouraged to choose safe bathing places, avoid troubling others, and not bathe at inappropriate times, such as when it is too cold or the water is too hot, in ways that harm health. The text also indicates that bathing should be done with clear awareness of its true purpose: maintaining cleanliness for the body as a "dwelling place," so that one can focus on practice and the teaching of beings.

These regulations are not harsh restrictions but wise guidelines, helping practitioners avoid negative mental states such as greed, anger, and retaliation.