Lzh Dg Bu Pm Pc 85Upholstery

Tūlonaddha Sutra: Explanation of the Vinaya Rule on Upholstery

Background

The Tūlonaddha sutra belongs to the Pācittiya section, the rules concerning violations that require confession in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition. The word “tūlonaddha,” meaning upholstery or padded woven cloth, refers to a kind of material. This rule arose from a specific situation in the Sangha during the Buddha’s time, when some monastics used inappropriate or wasteful materials in preparing robes.

The Vinaya Piṭaka is not a collection of arbitrary prohibitions, but the result of the actual practice of training. Each rule (sikkhāpada) was established by the Buddha after a violation occurred, in order to maintain purity, discipline, and harmony in the Sangha. This sutra emphasizes the importance of carefulness (appamāda) in the use of requisites, especially objects that serve the life of practice.

Main Content

The Tūlonaddha sutra states that monastics should not use unsuitable upholstered cloth, by Sangha standards, to make robes. Such cloth, though it may be comfortable, is considered overly indulgent (khippaniyā) and unsuitable for the simple and humble spirit of the ascetic life.

When a monk violates this rule, that is, uses upholstered cloth to make a kāsāya robe or kaṭhina outer robe, he commits a Pācittiya, a fault requiring confession in the training. Specifically, the act reflects attachment to comfort, gradually leading to a decline in energy and in the practice of Dhamma.

This rule is also connected with the principle of “not possessing too much” (paciṇṇaka) and avoiding the creation of rich-poor distinctions within the Sangha. By limiting the types of cloth used, the Buddha ensured that all monastics maintained equality and were not drawn into competition over material pleasure, which is a major obstruction to bodhi.