Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Dh Pc 71Pubic Hair

The Sutta on Pubic Hair (Sambādhaloma) – Exposition

Background

The Sambādhaloma Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the regulations concerning violations of the Pātimokkha, the basic code for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. This text deals with a matter that may seem minor but is full of meaning: allowing pubic hair, the hair of the private region, to grow too long.

According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Buddha issued regulations concerning bodily conduct for the Sangha in order to maintain discipline, purity, and the avoidance of desire. These rules are not useless; they serve a deep purpose in practice: removing attention to appearance, avoiding stimulation of mental states, and maintaining proper standards within the monastic community. The Sambādhaloma Sutta was recorded in the context of the Buddha’s recognizing that some bhikkhus neglected bodily hygiene, leading to negative effects on their state of practice.

Main Content

The sutta stipulates that bhikkhus should keep the body clean, including shaving pubic hair periodically. “Sambādha” (accumulated, lengthened) and “loma” (hair) directly indicate allowing hair on parts of the body to grow excessively long. This is classified as a Pācittiya, a category of offense requiring confession before the Sangha.

The reason behind this regulation is not harassment or needless severity. In the Theravāda tradition of practice, caring for the body appropriately is regarded as part of “indriya samvara,” restraint of the sense faculties. An unclean body easily increases thoughts of sensual desire, exposure, and ultimately defilements. Moreover, it may cause others, especially devotees, to have unsuitable thoughts when seeing a bhikkhu who does not maintain hygiene.

This regulation also expresses a broader principle: a bhikkhu should live with simplicity, not infatuated with bodily beauty, but also not neglecting reasonable care of the body. This is the balance between useless action and self-humiliation.