Lzh Dg Bu Pm 2 Sk 73Not Take Corpse’s Robe by Stupa
Pāli / Sanskrit:Not take corpse’s robe by stupa
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Sutta on Not Taking a Corpse’s Robe Beside a Stupa
Background
This text is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, reflecting one of the monastic rules on how to handle objects connected with the deceased. In the early period of the Sangha, bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs had to observe strict disciplinary principles, not only in action but also in intention. The context of the Vinaya is the time when the Buddha was still alive and directly taught the Sangha what was prohibited.
Matters related to corpses and the belongings of the dead are an area requiring care in practice. They are directly connected with the three classes of Dharma: moral discipline (sīla), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (paññā). A stupa (thūpa or caitya) is a place of worship for the Dharma relics of the Buddha or arhats, a symbol of reverence and concentrated recollection.
Main Content
The text stipulates that monastics are not permitted to take the robe or any belongings of a deceased person, especially items placed beside a stupa or in a place of reverence. The basic reason for this prohibition is to prevent greedy and unwholesome motives in the practitioner’s mind.
When a person has died, their belongings are regarded as part of remembrance and respect. Taking a robe or these objects reflects attachment to material things, an expression of greed (lobha). Even if the act occurs with the intention of “using it for the purpose of the Sangha,” it still violates the rule because it cannot avoid the mind of desire. The Vinaya Piṭaka emphasizes that small actions in daily life reflect the quality of the practitioner’s mind and aspiration.
This rule is also related to respect for the deceased and their family. Clothing and personal belongings have deep spiritual meaning. Respecting these things is a form of loving-kindness (mettā) and non-harming (ahiṃsā) toward those who remain.
Practical Meaning
This text teaches practitioners to be mindful in every action, however small.
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