Lzh Mg Bi Vb Np 6Asking an Unrelated Person for Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Aññātakaviññatti
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Commentary on the Aññātakaviññatti Sutta
Asking for Robes from an Unrelated Person
Background
The Aññātakaviññatti (Asking for Robes from an Unrelated Person) is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, within the category of regulations governing the circumstances under which monastics may request robes from others. This context originates from the time when the Blessed One was still living in the world, when those who had gone forth into the homeless life required a minimum of requisites to sustain their practice. Robes (cīvara) are not merely clothing to cover the body; they are also a symbol of self-restraint and discipline within the Sangha.
This text concerns a practical matter: whether monks are permitted to request robes from laypeople with whom they have no family or personal connection. It is one of the detailed regulations that help monks avoid actions that might give rise to covetousness, excessive dependence on offerings, or the transgression of the principles of non-grasping that lie at the heart of the Buddha's teaching.
Main Content
According to the Theravāda tradition, this text stipulates that a monk should not engage in the act of requesting or hinting for robes from a person with whom he has no connection (aññātaka—one who is neither a relative nor an acquaintance). Such conduct is regarded as improper and may result in a training offense (sekhiya) or a minor transgression, depending on the degree and the intention involved.
This regulation emphasizes the balance within the Vinaya Piṭaka: although the Buddha-Dharma encourages compassion and generosity, monks must also respect the spiritual independence of others and should not allow their material needs to become a burden upon strangers. The distinction between "one who is related" (ñātaka) and "one who is unrelated" (aññātaka) rests not solely upon ties of blood, but also upon an enduring relationship and mutual understanding.
When a monk is in need of robes, the appropriate course is to await a voluntary offering, or to make a request of those whom he encounters regularly—those who are already well acquainted with the living circumstances of the monks within the monastery.
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