Lzh Mu Bi Pm Pc 164Getting Laywomen to Massage
Pāli / Sanskrit:Gihinī-ummaddāpana
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Sutta Gihinī-ummaddāpana: The Rule Concerning Having Laywomen Perform Massage
Background
This Vinaya passage is found within the Pāṭimokkha (the consolidated code of discipline), specifically in the Pācittiya section (offenses requiring confession), established to regulate the conduct of Bhikkhus (monks, male renouncers) in their daily activities. The content of this rule reflects a specific situation that arose within the ancient monastic community, in which certain monks tended to ask laywomen to perform bodily care services, particularly massage. This rule was established in order to protect both the purity of the monastic discipline and the proper respect for gender boundaries in the relationship between the Sangha and the laity.
According to the Theravāda tradition, all regulations in the Vinaya Piṭaka (Basket of Discipline) arise from practical circumstances and were established by the Buddha to help the Sangha maintain ethical integrity, remain distinct from worldly life, and nurture practitioners along the path to liberation.
Main Content
The Sutta Gihinī-ummaddāpana prohibits Bhikkhus from requesting or asking laywomen (gihinī, literally "housewife") to perform massage (ummaddāna, massage of the body). This act is classified as a Pācittiya (pattaya) offense — a lesser offense than Pārājika (a defeat entailing loss of the precepts), but one that still requires formal confession before the Sangha.
The reasoning behind the establishment of this rule may be understood as follows: massage involves physical contact, which has the potential to disturb the meditative composure and concentration of monks in their practice. Furthermore, asking women to render bodily care services may give rise to inappropriate relationships between monastics and laypersons, undermining the very purpose of the renunciant life, which is to relinquish worldly attachments. This rule also protects the honor of both the Sangha and laywomen, guarding against misunderstandings or reproach from society.
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