Lzh Dg Bu Pm Np 7Accepting Too Many Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Tatuttari
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Explanation of the Tatuttari Sutta (Accepting Too Much Robe Cloth)
Background
The Tatuttari Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pātimokkha section of the Theravada tradition, among the rules on property and requisites for monks and nuns. The background from which this sutta arose concerns the management of robe cloth (cīvara), one of the four essential requisites of renunciants.
The Buddha clearly prescribed the amount of robe cloth that a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī should possess. This rule is not unreasonable, but is based on the principles of detachment and moderation, two core virtues of the Dharma. When monks and nuns possess too much robe cloth, this not only violates the spirit of renunciation, but also gives rise to conflicts within the community, dividing the harmony of the Sangha.
The Tatuttari Sutta records specific events in which certain bhikkhus accepted more robe cloth than the prescribed amount, from which the Buddha promulgated or further clarified rules concerning the limits on possessing requisites for practice.
Main Content
The Vinaya Piṭaka, especially the Pātimokkha, is divided into many sections (Saṅghādisesa, Pācittiya, and so forth). The Tatuttari Sutta deals with observance of the standard quantity of robe cloth according to the Vinaya. According to the basic rule, a bhikkhu is permitted to possess three robe cloths: the lower robe (antara-vāsaka), the upper robe (uttara-saṅga), and the outer cloak (saṅghāṭī). Robe cloths exceeding this limit are considered surplus property, and holding them without a valid reason violates the spirit of the Vinaya.
The sutta describes specific cases in which bhikkhus received too much robe cloth, perhaps because of greed, inattentiveness, or lack of understanding of the rule. Through these events, the Buddha emphasizes that following the rules on property is not an imposed restriction, but an educational tool for training the mind, removing greed, and maintaining discipline in the community.
The sutta also mentions consequences and corrective measures.
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