Bu Np 44. Having a nun wash a used robe
Pāli / Sanskrit:Purāṇacīvara
A monk who makes a nun wash or dye a used robe must relinquish the robe and confess the offense.
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Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law The Great Analysis
The chapter on relinquishment The subchapter on robes 4. Having a nun wash a used robe
Origin story
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, Venerable Udāyī’s ex-wife became a nun. She frequently visited Udāyī, and he frequently visited her. And Udāyī shared his meals with that nun.
One morning Udāyī robed up, took his bowl and robe, and went to her. He then uncovered his genitals in front of her and sat down on a seat. She too uncovered her genitals in front of him and sat down on a seat. Lustfully staring at her genitals, he emitted semen.
He then said to that nun: “Sister, get some water. I’ll wash the robe.”
“Give it to me, venerable, I’ll wash it.”
She then took some of the semen in her mouth and inserted some into her vagina. Because of that she became pregnant. The nuns said, “This nun doesn’t abstain from sex. She’s pregnant.”
She said, “Venerables, I do abstain from sex,” and she told them what had happened.
The nuns complained and criticized Udāyī, “How could Venerable Udāyī get a nun to wash a used robe?” They then told the monks. The monks of few desires complained and criticized him, “How could Venerable Udāyī get a nun to wash a used robe?”
After rebuking him in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned Udāyī: “Is it true, Udāyī, that you did this?”
“It’s true, sir.”
“Is she a relative of yours?”
“No.”
“Foolish man, a man and a woman who are unrelated don’t know what’s appropriate and inappropriate, what’s inspiring and uninspiring, in dealing with each other. And still you did this. This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:
Final ruling
‘If a monk has an unrelated nun wash, dye, or beat a used robe, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”
Definitions
A: whoever … Monk: … The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case. Unrelated: anyone who is not a descendant of one’s male ancestors going back eight generations, either on the mother’s side or on the father’s side. A nun: she has been given the full ordination by both Sanghas. A used robe: a sarong or an upper robe, even worn once.
If he tells her to wash it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. When it has been washed, it becomes subject to relinquishment. If he tells her to dye it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. When it has been dyed, it becomes subject to relinquishment. If he tells her to beat it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. When she has struck it once with her hand or with an implement, it becomes subject to relinquishment.
The robe should be relinquished to a sangha, a group, or an individual. “And, monks, it should be relinquished like this. …” (To be expanded as in Bu NP 1:3.2.5–3.2.29, with appropriate substitutions.)
“Venerables, this used robe, which I got an unrelated nun to wash, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.” … “the Sangha should give …” “you should give …” “I give this robe back to you.”
Permutations
If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her wash a used robe, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her wash and dye a used robe, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and one offense of wrong conduct. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her wash and beat a used robe, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and one offense of wrong conduct. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her wash, dye, and beat a used robe, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and two offenses of wrong conduct.
If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her dye a used robe, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her dye and beat a used robe, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and one offense of wrong conduct. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her dye and wash a used robe, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and one offense of wrong conduct. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her dye, beat, and wash a used robe, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and two offenses of wrong conduct.
If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her beat a used robe, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her beat and wash a used robe, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and one offense of wrong conduct. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her beat and dye a used robe, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and one offense of wrong conduct. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her beat, wash, and dye a used robe, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and two offenses of wrong conduct.
If she is unrelated, but he is unsure of it … If she is unrelated, but he perceives her as related …
If he has her wash a used robe belonging to someone else, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he has her wash a sitting mat or a sheet, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he has a nun who is fully ordained only on one side do the washing, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.
If she is related, but he perceives her as unrelated, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If she is related, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If she is related and he perceives her as such, there is no offense.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: if a related nun does the washing and an unrelated nun helps her; if a nun does the washing without being asked; if he has a nun wash an unused robe; if he has a nun wash any requisite apart from a robe; if it is a trainee nun; if it is a novice nun; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.
The training rule on having a nun wash a used robe, the fourth, is finished.
The “…” is an abbreviation carried over from the Pāli original itself, called peyyāla. The early canon was memorized and recited, so passages repeated verbatim from a preceding discourse were commonly contracted to an elision mark rather than written out in full. Venerable Thích Minh Châu's translation preserves this convention. Some texts therefore look short — but that is the canonical form, not missing content or a truncated translation. The elided passages can be read in full in the preceding discourses of the same chapter.
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