<p>It's Pācittiya 57:</p>

<blockquote>
  <ol start="57">
  <li>Should any bhikkhu bathe at intervals of less than half a month, except at the proper 
  occasions, it is to be confessed. Here the proper occasions are these: the last month and a 
  half of the hot season, the first month of the rains, these two and a half months being a 
  time of heat, a time of fever; (also) a time of illness; a time of work; a time of going on a 
  journey; a time of wind or rain. These are the proper occasions here.</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p><em>(<a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf" rel="noreferrer">Thanissaro, trans</a>)</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>The reason is ostensibly that bathing is an unnecessary luxury. The benefit to the rule is that monks will not become overly attached to cleanliness and that they will not become a burden on society. The story behind it is that the king was unable to bathe because the monks were bathing. </p>

<p>Note that the rule only applies to <em>bathing</em>; <em>showering</em> is not mentioned.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-08T17:05:44.737Z
Ven. Sir - What, in this case, can be considered to be a difference between bathing and showering ?
Monk
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-09T04:29:53.573Z
Bathing is getting inside a tub, a river or a lake and submerging oneself in water. Showering is just using the shower in the bathroom.
Sankha Kulathantille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-08T14:46:07.863Z
2014-10-08T14:46:07.863Z
yuttadhammo
<p>I recall having read somewhere that monks are allowed to bathe only once every 15 days. What is the actual Patimokkha rule behind this ? Also, what is the reason behind this rule and what are its possible benefits ? Is there any specific story corresponding to this rule ?</p>

<monk><vinaya><monasticism>
Patimokkha Rule On Bathing
# Patimokkha Rule On Bathing

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-10-08)

I recall having read somewhere that monks are allowed to bathe only once every 15 days. What is the actual Patimokkha rule behind this ? Also, what is the reason behind this rule and what are its possible benefits ? Is there any specific story corresponding to this rule ?

**Tags:** monk, vinaya, monasticism


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-10-08. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

It's Pācittiya 57:

> 57. Should any bhikkhu bathe at intervals of less than half a month, except at the proper
>     occasions, it is to be confessed. Here the proper occasions are these: the last month and a
>     half of the hot season, the first month of the rains, these two and a half months being a
>     time of heat, a time of fever; (also) a time of illness; a time of work; a time of going on a
>     journey; a time of wind or rain. These are the proper occasions here.
>
> *([Thanissaro, trans](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf))*

The reason is ostensibly that bathing is an unnecessary luxury. The benefit to the rule is that monks will not become overly attached to cleanliness and that they will not become a burden on society. The story behind it is that the king was unable to bathe because the monks were bathing.

Note that the rule only applies to *bathing*; *showering* is not mentioned.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Ven. Sir - What, in this case, can be considered to be a difference between bathing and showering ?  
> **username_2**: Bathing is getting inside a tub, a river or a lake and submerging oneself in water. Showering is just using the shower in the bathroom.  

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