Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Dh Pc 129Bathing Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Udakasāṭika
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The Discourse on Bathing Robes (Udakasāṭika)
Background
The Discourse on Bathing Robes belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon and is one of the detailed rules regulating the daily life of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs in the early Buddhist Sangha. The Vinaya Piṭaka is regarded as a record of remarkable accounts concerning how Buddhists violated or observed discipline, from which the Buddha established corresponding rules to regulate ethical conduct.
The Discourse on Bathing Robes specifically concerns regulations about robes used while bathing. This issue may seem minor, but it reflects a deeper principle: in Early Buddhism, every action and every requisition is considered in the light of mindfulness and intention. Regulating the use of bathing robes is not an imposition, but a spiritual education enabling bhikkhus to have self-mastery, reduce greed, and cultivate respect for requisites used in practice.
Main Content
The rule concerning the bathing robe (udakasāṭika) arose from specific situations in communal life. The Buddha prescribed that when bathing, bhikkhus should wear a suitable bathing robe and should not leave the body completely naked without covering. This rule both ensures modesty and respect for the body, and avoids situations that could lead to rigidity or craving connected with spiritual corruption.
In addition, the discourse clearly states the standard for the bathing robe: it must be a piece of cloth or a suitable item to cover the necessary parts of the body. The discourse does not permit the use of items that are too luxurious or decorated in an attention-seeking way, because the goal of the bhikkhu is to practice equanimity and abandon illusions concerning appearance and outward form.
The proper use of a bathing robe is also connected with respect for communal space and for the female disciples in the Sangha.
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