Lzh Dg Bi Vb Sk 73Not Take Corpse’s Robe by Stupa
Pāli / Sanskrit:Not take corpse’s robe by stupa
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The Text on Not Taking the Shroud of a Corpse at a Stupa
Background
This text belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Patimokkha section or basic training rules of the Buddhist Sangha. In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is recorded in detail to maintain the discipline and purity of the monastic community. These rules arose from specific situations during the time when the Buddha and his disciples lived in ancient India.
The text on not taking the shroud of a corpse at a stupa reflects an effort to regulate the conduct of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs when they come into contact with objects related to death. This is an important ethical rule, not only connected with respect for the deceased, but also intended to preserve the minds of practitioners from being defiled by gain-seeking or lack of propriety.
Main Content
This rule states that bhikkhus must not take a shroud or any object used to cover the body of someone who has died, especially in sacred places of worship such as Buddhist stupas. A corpse covering, or cloth used in the rite of farewell, is considered a sign of impurity and should not be used by a practitioner for himself.
The Buddha taught that such objects have the nature of impurity (asubha), meaning that they are connected with the decay and decomposition of the body. This is not because Buddhism regards them as evil, but because they are used in circumstances connected with death, a subject the practitioner must face with clarity, not with greed for gain or spiritual weakness.
In addition, this prohibition protects the dignity of the Sangha before society. If a practitioner is seen taking objects from a place connected with death, especially a place of worship such as a stupa, people may lose faith in the purity and noble character of monastics. Therefore, this rule is also an expression of social ethics in Buddhism.
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