Lzh Mi Bi Pm Pc 158Jewellery
Pāli / Sanskrit:Itthālaṅkāra
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Discourse on Women's Ornaments (Itthālaṅkāra)
Background
The Discourse on Women's Ornaments is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically in the Pātimokkha, the basic training rules. This discourse arose from a specific event at Sāvatthī, where the Buddha was dwelling. The bhikkhunīs had engaged in actions related to adorning themselves, causing disputes and questions within the community of practice.
The Buddha, with deep understanding, did not neglect to admonish the bhikkhunīs about adorning the body. This discourse is recorded as part of the training rules related to restraint from exposure and the clothing of those gone forth. It reflects basic principles of humility, cleanliness, and avoidance of eroticizing factors in the monastic life.
Main Content
The Discourse on Women's Ornaments chiefly concerns the Buddha's admonition to bhikkhunīs not to use ornaments or acts of adornment to make themselves look beautiful or alluring. This includes the use of flowers, scented oils, perfumes, or other items intended to make appearance stand out. Such conduct is not appropriate to the nature of the renunciant life, where the main goal is to turn away from worldly desires (kāma), including desires connected with appearance and beauty.
This training rule does not stop at an immediate purpose. It also has a deeper aim: to help bhikkhunīs avoid stimuli for attachment, jealousy, and dispute in the community. When someone tries to make herself look more beautiful, comparisons, jealous feelings, and useless arguments may arise. Therefore, this rule is a protective measure, not only for the individual but also for the whole community of practice.
The discourse also emphasizes that those gone forth should attend to cultivating the mind, developing wisdom (paññā) and morality (sīla), not focusing on the outward appearance of the body.
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