Xct Mu Bi Pm Pc 114Getting Nuns to Massage
Pāli / Sanskrit:Bhikkhunī-ummaddāpana
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Bhikkhunī-ummaddāpana Sutta
An Explanation of the Vinaya in the Theravāda Tradition
Background
The Pātimokkha records the disciplinary regulations of the Sangha. The Bhikkhunī-ummaddāpana Sutta belongs to the Pārājika section, the most serious category of offense for bhikkhunīs, specifically a rule connected with conduct that violates diligence and respect for the precepts.
This sutta records a situation in the early life of the Sangha, when the Buddha instructed his female disciples in disciplinary rules arising from the need to protect the honor and purity of the Sangha. The specific event was that some bhikkhunīs violated rules of respect for one another’s bodies, causing afflictions and disorder in the community of practice. For this reason, the Buddha, the Blessed One, laid down rules to protect the purity and stability of the Sangha.
Main Content
The specific content of this sutta concerns the prohibition of inappropriate actions among female monastics, especially acts involving bodily contact, such as massage or rubbing without a legitimate medical purpose. This action is considered contrary to the spirit of the precepts because it may lead to the eroticization of relationships in practice, violating the solitude and purity that bhikkhunīs must maintain.
This rule is not an absolute prohibition of every form of bodily care. On the contrary, it clearly distinguishes between actions with a legitimate medical purpose and actions with erotic or inappropriate intent. When a female monastic is ill, others may help with massage or care, with the intention of compassion (karuṇā) and with the clear consent of the person being cared for.
This rule reflects the profound understanding of the Buddha-Dharma concerning human psychology. In the context of austere practice, any action that crosses the boundary of purity can become an obstacle on the path to awakening.
Practical Meaning
The Bhikkhunī-ummaddāpana Sutta teaches us the importance of actively protecting purity (sīla) in every interaction.
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