Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c24.28

c24.28

**Rules of Bath.** It may be noted in this connection that certain rules were to be observed by the Bhikkhus in making use of the public, as well as private, bathing places. "Sporting in the water" (i.e. "throwing water over one another and chasing one another") was forbidden [*Pāt.*, p. 44], as also rubbing their bodies against wood, or up against each other, or with any wooden instrument or a string of beads [*Chullav.*, v, 1, 1-3]. "The ordinary mode of shampooing, with the hand, was allowed" [ib., v, 1, 5]. A Bhikkhu suffering from scab was allowed the use of a *mallaka* ("a kind of back-scratcher made up of hooks of split crocodiles' teeth") [ib., v, 1, 4]. No Bhikkhu was allowed to bathe at intervals of less than half a month, except during the last one month and a half of the heats and the first month of the rains, or during the time of sickness or of travelling [ib.].