Ka Bu Pm Pc 86Upholstery

Tūlonaddha Rule (Cloth Padding)

Explanation from the Vinaya Pitaka

Context

The Tūlonaddha rule is found in the Patimokkha Saṁvara, the basic code of training, especially within the Pacittiya section, offenses requiring confession. This text is recorded in the early Pali Canon tradition and reflects regulations concerning the clothing of those following the Buddhist path in the Buddha's time.

The context arose from events in the life of the Buddha Gotama. At that time, the bhikkhus did not yet have clear regulations regarding robes. Some bhikkhus used clothing covered with elaborate decorative materials, or sewed robes in ways not fitting the humble spirit of monastics. This negatively affected the dignity of the Sangha and created obstacles to the work of teaching the Dharma.

The Buddha, with compassion and deep understanding, issued rules concerning the making, adornment, and use of clothing. The Tūlonaddha rule specifies offenses related to making clothing too elaborate or using materials not suitable to the discipline of humility.

Main Content

This rule concerns the use of tula (cotton fiber or cloth) and the manner in which it is naddha (bound, covered, or woven together). Its main content concerns restrictions on ornamentation, lacing, or the covering of a bhikkhu's clothing.

Specifically, this Pacittiya prohibits bhikkhus from sewing robes primarily for aesthetic purposes rather than for protection and modesty. The use of clothing with complicated lacework, covered with rare materials, or containing unnecessary decorative details is prohibited.

The offense is considered a Pacittiya, an offense that the transgressor must confess, when a bhikkhu intentionally performs these actions. The violation does not depend on whether the clothing has been completed or not, but on the intention and the act in the process of making or using it.