Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 157Jewellery
Pāli / Sanskrit:Itthālaṅkāra
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Exposition of the Itthālaṅkāra Sutta (Women's Adornment)
Background
The Itthālaṅkāra Sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Pātimokkha Saṃvara, the basic rules of discipline. This is a teaching of the Buddha to the bhikkhunī community concerning the use of ornaments and bodily adornments.
According to the historical context, in the Buddha's time, women who went forth into the Sangha often had to abandon worldly habits, including the use of cosmetics and precious jewelry to display beauty. Such actions were regarded as signs of ambition and an impure state of mind. Therefore, the Buddha established legal regulations to guide bhikkhunīs in practicing in a manner consistent with the liberating nature of the Buddhist path.
Main Content
The Itthālaṅkāra Sutta teaches that bhikkhunīs should not use ornaments to embellish their appearance. This includes fragrant flowers, perfumes, scented oils for the hair, face creams, and other adornments intended to beautify the body or facial hair.
The reason this rule exists is not because the human body is filthy or contemptible; Theravāda Buddhism has no such pessimistic view. Rather, the prohibition is intended to remove factors that encourage sensual desire, pride, and attention to outward form. These are obstacles to concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā), two core factors on the path of practice.
This teaching reflects the general principle of the Vinaya Piṭaka: prohibitions are established for the benefit of mental cultivation, the harmony of the Sangha, and progress on the path of liberation. Each precept has a specific cause (nidāna) and a clear purpose.
Practical Meaning
The profound meaning of the Itthālaṅkāra Sutta does not stop at prohibiting the use of material objects, but offers an important lesson on mental disposition (āsaya) in practice.
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