88. Gandhavaṇṇakasikkhāpada
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo gandhavaṇṇakena nahāyanti. Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo gandhavaṇṇakena nahāyissanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti. Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo gandhavaṇṇakena nahāyissantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo gandhavaṇṇakena nahāyantī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo gandhavaṇṇakena nahāyissanti. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
Bathing in scents and colors Origin story
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, the nuns from the group of six were bathing with scents and colors. People complained and criticized them, “How can nuns bathe with scents and colors? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!” The nuns heard the complaints of those people. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can the nuns from the group of six bathe with scents and colors?” … “Is it true, monks, that those nuns do this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “How can the nuns from the group of six do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: