Bi Pc 5

5. Udakasuddhikasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Atha kho mahāpajāpati gotamī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā adhovāte aṭṭhāsi— “duggandho, bhagavā, mātugāmo”ti. Atha kho bhagavā— “ādiyantu kho bhikkhuniyo udakasuddhikan”ti, mahāpajāpatiṁ gotamiṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi. Atha kho mahāpajāpati gotamī bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassitā samādapitā samuttejitā sampahaṁsitā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi. Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi— “anujānāmi, bhikkhave, bhikkhunīnaṁ udakasuddhikan”ti.

Intimate washing Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying in the Sakyan country in the Banyan Tree Monastery at Kapilavatthu, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī went to him and bowed. Standing downwind from him, she said, “Sir, women smell.” “Well then, the nuns should clean themselves with water.” And the Buddha instructed, inspired, and gladdened her with a teaching, after which she bowed down, circumambulated him with her right side toward him, and left. Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Monks, I allow the nuns to clean themselves with water.”

Tena kho pana samayena aññatarā bhikkhunī— “bhagavatā udakasuddhikā anuññātā”ti atigambhīraṁ udakasuddhikaṁ ādiyantī muttakaraṇe vaṇaṁ akāsi. Atha kho sā bhikkhunī bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ āroceti. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhunī atigambhīraṁ udakasuddhikaṁ ādiyissatī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī atigambhīraṁ udakasuddhikaṁ ādiyatī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī atigambhīraṁ udakasuddhikaṁ ādiyissati. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

Being aware that the Buddha had allowed cleaning with water, a nun did it too deeply, causing a sore in her vagina. She told the nuns what had happened. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, “How could a nun clean herself too deeply with water?” … “Is it true, monks, that a nun did this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked her, “How could a nun clean herself too deeply with water? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

“Udakasuddhikaṁ pana bhikkhuniyā ādiyamānāya dvaṅgulapabbaparamaṁ ādātabbaṁ. Taṁ atikkāmentiyā pācittiyan”ti.

Final ruling

‘If a nun is cleaning herself with water, she may insert two finger joints at the most. If she goes further than that, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Udakasuddhikaṁ nāma muttakaraṇassa dhovanā vuccati. Ādiyamānāyāti dhovantiyā. Dvaṅgulapabbaparamaṁ ādātabbanti dvīsu aṅgulesu dve pabbaparamā ādātabbā. Taṁ atikkāmentiyāti samphassaṁ sādiyantī antamaso kesaggamattampi atikkāmeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Definitions

Is cleaning herself with water: rinsing the vagina is what is meant. Cleaning: rinses. She may insert two finger joints at the most: she may insert two joints of two fingers at the most. If she goes further than that: if she consents to the contact and goes further even by a hair’s breadth, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Atirekadvaṅgulapabbe atirekasaññā ādiyati, āpatti pācittiyassa. Atirekadvaṅgulapabbe vematikā ādiyati, āpatti pācittiyassa. Atirekadvaṅgulapabbe ūnakasaññā ādiyati, āpatti pācittiyassa. Ūnakadvaṅgulapabbe atirekasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Ūnakadvaṅgulapabbe vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Ūnakadvaṅgulapabbe ūnakasaññā, anāpatti.

Permutations

If it is more than two finger joints, and she perceives it as more, and she inserts them, she commits an offense entailing confession. If it is more than two finger joints, but she is unsure of it, and she inserts them, she commits an offense entailing confession. If it is more than two finger joints, but she perceives it as less, and she inserts them, she commits an offense entailing confession. If it is less than two finger joints, but she perceives it as more, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is less than two finger joints, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is less than two finger joints, and she perceives it as less, there is no offense.

Anāpatti— dvaṅgulapabbaparamaṁ ādiyati, ūnakadvaṅgulapabbaparamaṁ ādiyati, ābādhapaccayā, ummattikāya, ādikammikāyāti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if she inserts two finger joints; if she inserts less than two finger joints; if she does it because she is sick; if she is insane; if she is the first offender.