Lzh Mg Bi Vb Sk 66Covering the Head
Pāli / Sanskrit:Oguṇṭhita
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COMMENTARY ON THE OGUṆṬHITA SUTTA (COVERING THE HEAD)
Background
The Oguṇṭhita Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka within the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, situated specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga — the training rules designated for bhikkhunis. The Vinaya Piṭaka comprises detailed guidelines on ethics, conduct, and monastic discipline, established by the Blessed One to protect the monastic community and preserve the Dharma for future generations.
The content of this sutta centers on a rule that is simple in form yet profound in meaning: the covering of the head by bhikkhunis in certain situations, particularly during Saṅgha assemblies, when in the presence of men, or in public spaces. This rule is not without purpose; it reflects central principles of the Dharma: respect, self-restraint, and the protection of the conditions conducive to practice.
Main Content
The Oguṇṭhita Sutta stipulates that bhikkhunis should not go bare-headed in specific contexts. This is not an absolute prohibition but rather a guideline for appropriate conduct. When a bhikkhuni covers her head — whether with a cloth, an outer robe, or monastic attire — she expresses respect toward the Saṅgha community, toward the men present, and toward herself.
This rule is connected to the five recollections (Anussati Pañcaka) — the means by which one maintains the holy life and reminds oneself of humility. In practice, bhikkhunis do not merely observe a formal regulation; they also cultivate the mental quality of Upaṭṭhāna — attentiveness, watchfulness, and accountability. The act of covering the head becomes a gesture that calls them to mind their purpose in practice: liberation from greed, aversion, and delusion.
Texts of the Vinaya Piṭaka are typically accompanied by details concerning the consequences of transgression. Should a bhikkhuni deliberately cover her head improperly or disregard this rule, she must confess before the community and seek to correct her conduct.
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