Lzh Mi Bi Pm Pc 67Needle Cases
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sūcighara
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Needle Case Sutta (Sūcighara)
Background
The Sūcighara Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically in the Pācittiya section, rules concerning offenses requiring confession. This collection was recorded from the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni to the deep Sangha, in order to establish principles for living together in the monastic community.
The Needle Case Sutta concerns the management and use of small requisites, specifically needle cases (sūcighara), tools for sewing in the daily life of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. The background of this sutta reflects the practical needs of the early Buddhist monastic community, people who lived by alms and depended on the minimum necessary requisites.
The Buddha saw that the storing or use of these objects needed clear guidance, so that monastics would not fall into greed, stinginess, or disrespect for the principles concerning property ownership in the Sangha. Therefore, he gave rules connected with storing, using, and sharing these small tools among members of the community.
Main Content
The Sūcighara Sutta lays down that bhikkhus should not keep too many needle cases or surplus sewing tools. If a bhikkhu has a needle case and receives another one from a practitioner or from others in the community, he must return the old one or dispose of it. This is to avoid accumulating property beyond actual need.
The rule also states clearly that monastics should maintain restraint regarding material possessions. A bhikkhu should keep only the tools necessary for the renunciant life. If he exceeds this, it is a Pāṇattika offense, a fault requiring confession. This is not an absolute prohibition, but a reminder of ethics and practice through the control of material desires.
The sutta also encourages sharing and cooperation among monastics.
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