Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
The Nuns’ Analysis Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The subchapter on garlic Lasuṇavagga

The training rule on cleaning with water 5. Udakasuddhikasikkhāpada

Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying in the Sakyan country in the Banyan Tree Monastery at Kapilavatthu, Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Mahāpajāpati Gotamī went to him and bowed. Standing downwind from him, she said, Atha kho mahāpajāpati gotamī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā adhovāte aṭṭhāsi—“Sir, women smell.” “duggandho, bhagavā, mātugāmo”ti.

Atha kho bhagavā—“Well then, the nuns should clean themselves with water.” And the Buddha instructed, inspired, and gladdened her with a teaching, “ādiyantu kho bhikkhuniyo udakasuddhikan”ti, mahāpajāpatiṁ gotamiṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi. after which she bowed down, circumambulated him with her right side toward him, and left. Atha kho mahāpajāpati gotamī bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassitā samādapitā samuttejitā sampahaṁsitā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi. Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—

“Monks, I allow the nuns to clean themselves with water.” “anujānāmi, bhikkhave, bhikkhunīnaṁ udakasuddhikan”ti.

Being aware that the Buddha had allowed cleaning with water, Tena kho pana samayena aññatarā bhikkhunī—a nun did it too deeply, causing a sore in her vagina. “bhagavatā udakasuddhikā anuññātā”ti atigambhīraṁ udakasuddhikaṁ ādiyantī muttakaraṇe vaṇaṁ akāsi.

She told the nuns what had happened. Atha kho sā bhikkhunī bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ āroceti. The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could a nun clean herself too deeply with water?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhunī atigambhīraṁ udakasuddhikaṁ ādiyissatī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that a nun did this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī atigambhīraṁ udakasuddhikaṁ ādiyatī”ti?

“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

The Buddha rebuked her, Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How could a nun clean herself too deeply with water? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī atigambhīraṁ udakasuddhikaṁ ādiyissati. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

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

Definitions

Is cleaning herself with water: Udakasuddhikaṁ nāma: rinsing the vagina is what is meant. muttakaraṇassa dhovanā vuccati.
Cleaning: Ādiyamānāyāti: rinses. dhovantiyā.
She may insert two finger joints at the most: Dvaṅgulapabbaparamaṁ ādātabbanti: she may insert two joints of two fingers at the most. dvīsu aṅgulesu dve pabbaparamā ādātabbā.
If she goes further than that: Taṁ atikkāmentiyāti: if she consents to the contact and goes further even by a hair’s breadth, she commits an offense entailing confession. samphassaṁ sādiyantī antamaso kesaggamattampi atikkāmeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

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. Atirekadvaṅgulapabbe atirekasaññā ādiyati, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is more than two finger joints, but she is unsure of it, and she inserts them, she commits an offense entailing confession. Atirekadvaṅgulapabbe vematikā ādiyati, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is more than two finger joints, but she perceives it as less, and she inserts them, she commits an offense entailing confession. Atirekadvaṅgulapabbe ūnakasaññā ādiyati, āpatti pācittiyassa.

If it is less than two finger joints, but she perceives it as more, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ūnakadvaṅgulapabbe atirekasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is less than two finger joints, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ūnakadvaṅgulapabbe vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is less than two finger joints, and she perceives it as less, there is no offense. Ūnakadvaṅgulapabbe ūnakasaññā, anāpatti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: Anāpatti—if she inserts two finger joints; dvaṅgulapabbaparamaṁ ādiyati, if she inserts less than two finger joints; ūnakadvaṅgulapabbaparamaṁ ādiyati, if she does it because she is sick; ābādhapaccayā, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.

The fifth training rule is finished. Pañcamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

English Translation

Pāli Text

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law
The Nuns’ Analysis
The chapter on offenses entailing confession
The subchapter on garlic

The training rule on cleaning with water

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.”

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:

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.’”

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.

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.

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.

The fifth training rule is finished.

Theravāda Vinaya
Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
Pācittiyakaṇḍa
Lasuṇavagga

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.

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—

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

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

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.

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

Pañcamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
The Nuns’ Analysis Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The subchapter on garlic Lasuṇavagga

The training rule on cleaning with water 5. Udakasuddhikasikkhāpada

Origin story

“Monks, I allow the nuns to clean themselves with water.” “anujānāmi, bhikkhave, bhikkhunīnaṁ udakasuddhikan”ti.

“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

Final ruling

Definitions

Is cleaning herself with water: Udakasuddhikaṁ nāma: rinsing the vagina is what is meant. muttakaraṇassa dhovanā vuccati.
Cleaning: Ādiyamānāyāti: rinses. dhovantiyā.
She may insert two finger joints at the most: Dvaṅgulapabbaparamaṁ ādātabbanti: she may insert two joints of two fingers at the most. dvīsu aṅgulesu dve pabbaparamā ādātabbā.
If she goes further than that: Taṁ atikkāmentiyāti: if she consents to the contact and goes further even by a hair’s breadth, she commits an offense entailing confession. samphassaṁ sādiyantī antamaso kesaggamattampi atikkāmeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Permutations

Non-offenses

The fifth training rule is finished. Pañcamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.