四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 3.113

3.113

"If a bhikṣu bathes [once every] half-month, an un-sick bhikṣu should accept it and must not exceed it, except at other times: it is a prāyaścittika. Here 'other times' means: hot time, sick time, working time, wind-and-rain time, traveling time—these are the times." This complete text of the precept has four phrases: first, the person who commits the offense; second, explaining bathing once every half-month and not exceeding it; third, setting aside the exceptions; fourth, assigning the offense. "Here 'other times' means" and below recites the third phrase above. In differentiating the aspects, the first phrase is evident. As for the second, "bathes [once every] half-month": this clarifies that bathing once every half-month must not be exceeded; "bathing [once every] half-month" recites that within half a month one must not bathe a second time, hence it is said "must not exceed." The Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya states: "One should follow the number of days for bathing; fifteen full days must elapse before one should bathe again." As for the third, "except at other times" stated first: this explains the exceptions. As for "except the hot time": the Vinaya states that the forty-five days after spring and the first month of summer are the hot time. Because it becomes hot early in India, from the beginning of the third month to the fifteenth of the fifth month, during these two and a half months bathing is permitted without offense. One adopts this limit for bathing according to whether the heat arrives early or late in one's country. Furthermore, when the days of these two and a half months are complete, that is sufficient; this is called the hot time. As for the "sick time": the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya states that down to having foul-smelling bodily odor is called the sick time. As for the "working time": down to sweeping the ground in front of the house. The Sarvāstivāda Vinaya states: "down to sweeping five feet of ground inside the Saṅgha room." The Sarvāstivāda-vinaya-vibhāṣā states: "five or six feet." The Mahīśāsaka Vinaya states: "down to sweeping the ground inside the room." As for the "wind-and-rain time": down to a single whirlwind or a single drop of rain touching the body. As for "traveling": down to half a yojana, whether coming or going, this is it. As for the fourth, "prāyaścittika": this is the phrase assigning the offense for exceeding the bath limit. The Vinaya states: "If one bathes exceeding the limit, bathing the body once is one prāyaścittika. If one bathes half the body, one also commits a prāyaścittika. If one employs preparatory effort wishing to bathe but does not, it is a duṣkṛta." The Mahīśāsaka Vinaya states: "If one bathes the body in the same room with a layperson, it is a sthūlātyaya." The Sarvāstivāda-vinaya-vibhāṣā states: "One should not bathe together in the open. If one is in a room and knows he is a layperson, but there is no oral fault, it is permitted. A bhikṣu who rubs a layperson while bathing together commits a duṣkṛta. If he rubs himself and does not make use of another to rub him, it is good. He must wear a saṃkakṣikā: first, so that he will have shame; second, so that desire will not arise in others." Due to bathing, an arhat's body was soft; a worldling saw it, gave rise to defilement, and lost his male organ, up to repenting and recovering his original male body. The Vinaya states that it is not an offense if: as in the six conditions above, frequent bathing is permitted without offense; or if one is overwhelmed by force and compelled.