Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 177Adorning like a wife

Sutra on Adorning Oneself Like a Wife

Rule 177, Vinaya Piṭaka (Pāli Canon)

Background

Rule 177 belongs to the Pātimokkha, the fundamental code in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition. It is one of the prohibitions in the Pācittiya section, offenses requiring light confession. The sutra was established in the context of the Buddha’s management of the community of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, especially with regard to purity of conduct and the distinction between the behavior of renunciants and that of laypeople.

This sutra reflects a specific situation in which a bhikkhunī adorned herself or used ornaments like worldly women, especially like the wife of a person of status. The Buddha saw that this was contrary to the spirit of renunciation, the relinquishing of material beauty in order to follow the path of inner liberation.

Main Content

The rule prescribes that if a bhikkhunī adorns herself like a wife, using hair dye, perfumes, cosmetics, or other ornaments with the purpose of making herself attractive and pleasing to the eye, this is a violation. This conduct is considered Pācittiya, meaning that it requires sincere confession before another bhikkhunī, but it is not as serious as offenses belonging to Pārājika or Saṅghādisesa.

The reason for establishing this rule is not to criticize beauty or the human body, but to emphasize that one who has gone forth has renounced worldly concerns. External beauty, or alaṅkāra (adornment), is something lay women often value in order to attract attention, especially within marriage. A bhikkhunī who has gone forth should not pursue these things, because they create attachment to the world and may lead to improper conduct.

The sutra also implicitly indicates that adorning oneself in this way may cause others, especially men, to give rise to unsuitable thoughts, thereby affecting the mood and spirit of practice in the community.