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Commentary on the Saṁkakṣikā Sūtra (The Sūtra on the Wearing of Robes)

Background

The Saṁkakṣikā Sūtra belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka within the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, specifically the Pātimokkha section concerning the rules on dress and the care of the body for monastics. In the context of the Saṅgha community during the time of the Buddha, the wearing of robes and the wrapping of cloth (saṁkakṣikā) was not merely a practical matter, but was also connected to mental discipline and the pure cultivation of the disciples.

This sūtra is found within the Bhikṣu Pātimokkha, in the section on Pācittiya offenses — those transgressions requiring confession — which records improper conduct in the course of daily monastic life. The circumstances giving rise to this sūtra are generally linked to specific events within the monastic community, wherein minor matters of conduct were corrected by the Buddha in order to uphold general discipline.

Main Content

The Saṁkakṣikā Sūtra addresses the matter of wearing robes and wrapping cloth in an improper manner, or the use of garments unsuitable to the way of life of those who have gone forth from the household. The Vinaya stipulates that bhikkhus and bhikkhunis must wear their robes modestly, without ostentation or deliberate seeking of attention from others. The purpose of wearing robes is to protect the body from the elements, not to exalt oneself or display one's status.

This sūtra sets forth the principle that if a bhikkhu wears his robe in an improper fashion, or makes use of materials not permitted — such as silk or costly cloth — that person commits a Pācittiya offense. This rule emphasizes that simplicity and humility in dress are the outward signs of the renunciation of desire and of inner refinement on the Buddhist path. The types of robes that are permitted are those fashioned from pieces of discarded cloth sewn together — made from cloth given to the Saṅgha — as well as robes of cotton or other coarse materials.