Lzh Mi Bi Vb Pc 154What is Scented
Pāli / Sanskrit:Vāsitaka
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Explanation of the Vāsitaka Sutra (What Is Scented)
Background
The Vāsitaka Sutra belongs to the Vinaya Pitaka in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, specifically within the Bhikkhuṇī Vibhaṅga, the Vinaya for bhikkhunīs. These are detailed regulations on discipline for the community of female monastics. The sutra is recorded in ancient versions of the Pāli Canon, reflecting the Buddha's concern for maintaining purity and discipline in the Sangha.
The title "Vāsitaka" (Scented) comes from the word "vāsita," meaning things infused with scent or prepared with fragrances. This sutra deals with a specific Pātimokkha (Pācittiya) rule concerning the use of perfumes and scented substances in monastic life. The Vinaya Pitaka is regarded as the ethical foundation (sīla) of the Sangha, helping bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs maintain a settled mind and purity of body and mind.
Main Content
The Vāsitaka Sutra refers to restrictions on the use of perfumes, scented oils, and beautifying products. According to the principles of practice, bhikkhunīs should not seek things that serve sensuality or beautify the body. If a bhikkhunī intentionally uses a fragrance that is not permitted, she commits a Pācittiya offense, one of the lighter violations in the discipline of life.
This rule arises from steadfastness in the principle of the six sense faculties (indriya), restraining the senses so as not to be led by sensory stimulation. Renouncing personal fragrances is a concrete way for monastics to train in non-greed and in equanimous letting go. Scented materials are regarded as means that may arouse sensuality or conceit.
However, the sutra also clearly describes cases in which fragrance may be used, such as medicinal fragrances or scents used in formal religious rituals. This shows the Buddha's balance and wisdom: he does not impose an absolute prohibition, but guides monastics to understand the real intention behind each rule.
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