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88. Bathing in scents and colors

Gandhavaṇṇaka

A nun who bathes with scents and colors must confess the offense.

Translated by Bhikkhu Brahmali · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
  • 0.2BhikkhunivibhaṅgaThe Nuns’ Analysis
  • 0.3PācittiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing confession
  • 0.4ChattupāhanavaggaThe subchapter on sunshades and sandals

0.588. GandhavaṇṇakasikkhāpadaBathing in scents and colors

1.0Origin story

1.1PTS 4.341Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,1.2Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo gandhavaṇṇakena nahāyanti.the nuns from the group of six were bathing with scents and colors.1.3Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—People complained and criticized them,1.4“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo gandhavaṇṇakena nahāyissanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti.“How can nuns bathe with scents and colors? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!”

1.5Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.The nuns heard the complaints of those people.1.6Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,1.7“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo gandhavaṇṇakena nahāyissantī”ti …pe…“How can the nuns from the group of six bathe with scents and colors?” …1.8“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo gandhavaṇṇakena nahāyantī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that those nuns do this?”

1.9“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”

1.10Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.11kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo gandhavaṇṇakena nahāyissanti.“How can the nuns from the group of six do this?1.12Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.13evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

1.14.0Final ruling

1.14.1“Yā pana bhikkhunī gandhavaṇṇakena nahāyeyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a nun bathes with scents and colors, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

2.1.0Definitions

2.1.1Yā panātiA:
2.1.2yā yādisā …pe…whoever …
2.1.3bhikkhunītiNun:
2.1.4…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti.… The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case.
2.1.5Gandho nāmaScents:
2.1.6yo koci gandho.any kind of scent.
2.1.7Vaṇṇakaṁ nāmaColors:
2.1.8yaṁ kiñci vaṇṇakaṁ.any kind of color.
2.1.9NahāyeyyātiBathes:
2.1.10nahāyati. Payoge dukkaṭaṁ, nahānapariyosāne āpatti pācittiyassa.is bathing. For the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. At the end of the bath, she commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.0Non-offenses

2.2.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.2.2ābādhappaccayā,if she does it because she is sick; 2.2.3ummattikāya,if she is insane; 2.2.4ādikammikāyāti.if she is the first offender.

2.2.5Pañcamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.The fifth training rule is finished.