Theravāda Vinayapiṭaka

Nuns’ rules and their analysis

Nuns’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 89

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the group of six nuns bathed with scented ground sesamum. People … see Bi-Pc.87.1; read, bathed with scented ground sesamum, etc. … “… this rule of training:

Whatever nun should bathe with scented ground sesamum, there is an offence of expiation.”


Whatever means: … nun is to be understood in this case.

Scented means: whatever is scented.

Ground sesamum means: it is called crushed sesamum seed.

Should bathe means: if she bathes, in the business there is an offence of wrong-doing; at the end of the bathing there is an offence of expiation.


There is no offence if it is on account of illness; if she bathes with common ground sesamum; if she is mad, if she is the first wrong-doer.