Sarvāstivāda Vinaya
Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga
Confession 165
Origin Story
The Buddha was in Rājagaha. At that time, the bhikkhunīs supporting Devadatta didn’t apply perfume on their bodies themselves, and neither rubbed (mud) perfume, ground sesame, and sesame dregs on their bodies. But they had sikkhamānās, sāmaṇerīs, and lay women rub them on their bodies.
Among the bhikkhunīs were those of few wishes, who knew moderation and practised the austerities. When they heard of this matter, their minds weren’t pleased, and they criticized them with all kinds of reasons: “How can you be called bhikkhunīs when you have sikkhamānās, sāmaṇerīs, and lay women apply perfume on your bodies, and have them rub (mud) perfume, ground sesame, and sesame dregs on your bodies?” Having criticized them with all kinds of reasons, they explained it to the Buddha in detail. The Buddha gathered both sanghas because of this matter. He knew, and intentionally asked the bhikkhunīs supporting Devadatta: “Did you really do this?” They answered: “We really did this, World-honored One.” The Buddha criticized them with all kinds of reasons: “How can you be called bhikkhunīs when you have sikkhamānās, sāmaṇerīs, and lay women apply perfume on your bodies, and have them rub (mud) perfume, ground sesame, and sesame dregs on your bodies?” Having criticized them with all kinds of reasons, he said to the bhikkhus: “For 10 benefits, I’ll lay down a precept for the bhikkhunīs. From now on, this precept should be recited thus:
Final Ruling
‘If a bhikkhunī has others apply perfume on her body, or has them rub (mud) perfume, ground sesame, and sesame dregs on her body, it’s a pācittiya.’”
Explanations
“Pācittiya” means burn, cook, cover, obstruct. If she doesn’t confess the offense, it can obstruct the path.
Herein, this is an offense: If a bhikkhunī has others rub perfume on her body, it’s a pācittiya. If she has others apply (mud) perfume on her body, it’s a pācittiya. If they rub ground sesame or sesame dregs on her body, all are pācittiyas. Whenever she has others rub her, she incurs a pācittiya. (End of rule 165.)