Lzh Mi Bi Pm Sk 78Nāvarṇakārakaṁ paribhokṣyāma
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nāvarṇakārakaṁ paribhokṣyāma
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AN EXPLANATION OF THE NĀVARṆAKĀRAKAṂ PARIBHOKṢYĀMA DISCOURSE
Background
The Nāvarṇakārakaṁ paribhokṣyāma discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, one of the three main baskets of the Pāli Canon in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of regulations and rules governing the monastic life of bhikṣus (bhikkhus) and bhikṣuṇīs (bhikkhunīs), as well as guidance on the discipline of the monastic order.
The title of this discourse, if analyzed through Pāli-Sanskrit terms, implies “nine kinds of color” (nava = nine; varṇa = color, type; kāra = making; paribhokṣyāma = we shall use). However, the specific content of this discourse has not been fully translated in the available sources. Based on the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the discourse may be related to rules about the use of robes, the colors of monastic robes, or small requisites in the life of the Sangha.
Main Content
In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the regulations concerning robe colors and dress have deep significance in Early Buddhist practice. The robe is not merely clothing to cover the body, but also a symbol of going forth, of adherence to Buddhist discipline, and of humility within the religious community.
According to the Theravāda tradition, monastics are instructed to use robes of colors appropriate to the rules of the Sangha. These colors usually include subdued shades such as brown, pale yellow, or other colors that are not too conspicuous, expressing separation from worldly material desires and concentration on inner practice.
These regulations were issued by the Buddha to protect the spirit of practice, so that monastics would not be drawn into outward features, and to maintain consistency within the Sangha. This discourse, as part of the Vinaya Piṭaka, functions as guidance for the monastic community on how to use daily requisites properly in accordance with Buddhist principles.
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