Udakeuccāra

Theravāda Vinaya

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

Bhikkhunivibhaṅga

The Nuns’ Analysis

Sekhiyakaṇḍa

The chapter on training

Pādukavagga

The subchapter on shoes

75. Udakeuccārasikkhāpada

Defecating in water

Origin story

First substory

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

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

Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi karonti.

At that time the nuns from the group of six were defecating, urinating, and spitting in water.

Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

People complained and criticized them,

“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi karissanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti.

“How can nuns defecate, urinate, and spit in water? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!”

Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.

The nuns heard the complaints of those people,

Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā, tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized them,

“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi karissantī”ti.

“How can the nuns from the group of six defecate, urinate, and spit in water?”

Atha kho bhikkhuniyo bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.

The nuns told the monks,

Bhikkhū bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.

who in turn told the Buddha.

Atha kho bhagavā …pe…

Soon afterwards the Buddha had the Sangha gathered

bhikkhū paṭipucchi—

and questioned the monks:

“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi karontī”ti?

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

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

“It’s true, sir.”

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…

The Buddha rebuked them …

kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi karissanti.

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

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:

Preliminary ruling

“Na udake uccāraṁ vā passāvaṁ vā kheḷaṁ vā karissāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā”ti.

‘“I will not defecate, urinate, or spit in water,” this is how you should train.’”

Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhunīnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.

In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the nuns.

Second substory

Tena kho pana samayena gilānā bhikkhuniyo udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi kātuṁ kukkuccāyanti.

Soon afterwards, being afraid of wrongdoing, sick nuns did not defecate, urinate, or spit in water.

Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe…

They told the Buddha. He then had the Sangha gathered and addressed the monks:

anujānāmi, bhikkhave, gilānāya bhikkhuniyā udake uccārampi passāvampi kheḷampi kātuṁ.

“Monks, I allow a sick nun to defecate, urinate, and spit in water.

Evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

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

Final ruling

“Na udake agilānā uccāraṁ vā passāvaṁ vā kheḷaṁ vā karissāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā”ti.

‘“When not sick, I will not defecate, urinate, or spit in water,” this is how you should train.’”

Na udake agilānāya uccāro vā passāvo vā kheḷo vā kātabbo.

If one is not sick, one should not defecate, urinate, or spit in water.

Yā anādariyaṁ paṭicca udake agilānā uccāraṁ vā passāvaṁ vā kheḷaṁ vā karoti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If, out of disrespect, a nun who is not sick defecates, urinates, or spits in water, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

Anāpatti—

There is no offense:

asañcicca,

if it is unintentional;

assatiyā,

if she is not mindful;

ajānantiyā,

if she does not know;

gilānāya,

if she is sick;

thale kato udakaṁ ottharati,

if she does it on dry ground, but it then spreads to water;

āpadāsu,

if there is an emergency;

ummattikāya,

if she is insane;

khittacittāya,

if she is deranged;

vedanāṭṭāya,

if she is overwhelmed by pain;

ādikammikāyāti.

if she is the first offender.

Pannarasamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

The fifteenth training rule is finished.

Pādukavaggo sattamo.

The seventh subchapter on shoes is finished.

Uddiṭṭhā kho, ayyāyo, sekhiyā dhammā.

“Venerables, the rules of training have been recited.

Tatthāyyāyo pucchāmi—

In regard to this I ask you,

“kaccittha parisuddhā”?

‘Are you pure in this?’

Dutiyampi pucchāmi—

A second time I ask,

“kaccittha parisuddhā”?

‘Are you pure in this?’

Tatiyampi pucchāmi—

A third time I ask,

“kaccittha parisuddhā”?

‘Are you pure in this?’

Parisuddhetthāyyāyo, tasmā tuṇhī, evametaṁ dhārayāmīti.

You are pure in this and therefore silent. I will remember it thus.”

Sekhiyakaṇḍaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

The chapter on training is finished.