Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 7Covering the Head

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– ŚAIKṢA-KARAṆĪYA

RULE 7

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, the Jeta Grove, in the land of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six monks covered their heads with their robes and entered the homes of laypeople. The laypeople saw this and criticized them: "These Śākyan renunciants have no sense of shame. They outwardly claim to know the true Dharma. What then is meant by the true Dharma? Why do they cover their heads with their robes and walk about like thieves?"

The monks heard this, and among them were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the ascetic practices, were fond of training in the precepts, and who knew shame and remorse. They reproached the group of six monks: "Why do you cover your heads with your robes when entering the homes of laypeople?"

The monks went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, and sat to one side. They then reported this matter to the Blessed One in full. The Blessed One used this matter as the occasion to assemble the community of monks, and he reproached the group of six monks:

"What you have done is wrong, is not proper conduct, is not the behavior of a renunciant, is not pure practice, is not harmonious conduct — it is doing what should not be done. Why did you cover your heads with your robes when entering the homes of laypeople?"

Having reproached the group of six monks by means of countless expedient methods, the Buddha said to the monks:

"These foolish men are a ground where many seeds of the outflows are sown; they are the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down this precept for the monks, for ten reasons, up to and including the reason that the true Dharma may long endure."

Wishing to recite the rule, it should be recited thus:

One should not enter the homes of laypeople with the head covered — this is a śaikṣa-karaṇīya.

Monk: the meaning is as above.

Home of laypeople: a village or settlement.

Covering the head: whether using leaves, or using something torn into pieces, or using a robe to cover the head when entering the homes of laypeople.

If one offends intentionally, one should confess a duṣkṛta. Because of committing the act intentionally, one incurs a duṣkṛta of improper conduct. If one does not act intentionally, one incurs only a duṣkṛta.

For a bhikṣuṇī: duṣkṛta. For a śikṣamāṇā, śrāmaṇera, or śrāmaṇerikā: duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: if one is ill in such a manner, or if one's head is cold, or if there is a sore on the head, or if there is danger to life or danger to the holy life and one must cover one's head in order to flee — then there is no offense.

Those who do not offend: one who commits the offense for the first time before the precept has been laid down; one who is deranged, of disturbed mind, or afflicted with pain and oppressed.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA, PART ONE

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka master Buddhayaśas and Zhú Fóniàn.

Revised and annotated: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

(Chinese translation, fascicles 1–21; Vietnamese translation, fascicles 1–2)

Buddhist Publication Committee 2002