Sambādhaloma

Theravāda Vinaya

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

Bhikkhunivibhaṅga

The Nuns’ Analysis

Pācittiyakaṇḍa

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

Lasuṇavagga

The subchapter on garlic

2. Sambādhalomasikkhāpada

Removing pubic hair

Origin story

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo sambādhe lomaṁ saṁharāpetvā aciravatiyā nadiyā vesiyāhi saddhiṁ naggā ekatitthe nahāyanti.

At that time the nuns from the group of six removed the hair from their private parts. They then bathed naked at a ford in the river Aciravatī together with sex workers.

Vesiyā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

The sex workers complained and criticized them,

“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo sambādhe lomaṁ saṁharāpessanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti.

“How can the nuns remove the hair from their private parts? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!”

Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tāsaṁ vesiyānaṁ ujjhāyantīnaṁ khiyyantīnaṁ vipācentīnaṁ.

The nuns heard the complaints of those sex workers,

Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,

“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo sambādhe lomaṁ saṁharāpessantī”ti …pe…

“How can the nuns from the group of six remove the hair from their private parts?” …

“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo sambādhe lomaṁ saṁharāpentī”ti?

“Is it true, monks, that those nuns do that?”

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

“It’s true, sir.”

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…

The Buddha rebuked them,

kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo sambādhe lomaṁ saṁharāpessanti.

“How can the nuns from the group of six do that?

Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

Final ruling

“Yā pana bhikkhunī sambādhe lomaṁ saṁharāpeyya, pācittiyan”ti.

‘If a nun removes hair from her private parts, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

Yā panāti

A:

yā yādisā …pe…

whoever …

bhikkhunīti

Nun:

…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.

Sambādho nāma

The private parts:

ubho upakacchakā, muttakaraṇaṁ.

both armpits and the groin.

Saṁharāpeyyāti

Removes:

ekampi lomaṁ saṁharāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

if she removes one hair, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Bahukepi lome saṁharāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Even if she removes many hairs, she commits one offense entailing confession.

Non-offenses

Anāpatti—

There is no offense:

ābādhapaccayā,

if she does it because she is sick;

ummattikāya,

if she is insane;

ādikammikāyāti.

if she is the first offender.

Dutiyasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

The second training rule is finished.