Lzh Mi Bi Vb Pc 199Making an Image of Oneself

Explanation of the Sutta: Making an Image of Oneself

Background

This rule belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, the collection of rules for virtuous training for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs in the Buddhist community. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a set of dry prohibitions, but profound instruction helping practitioners cultivate kindness and protect the good name of the community.

This rule arose from a specific situation in the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni. As the monastic community developed, questions of image, reputation, and self-presentation among those gone forth became important. When monastics deliberately created or altered an image of themselves to impress others, conceal faults, or seek self-promotion, this harmed not only the individual but also the trust of the faithful community.

Main Content

Pācittiya rule 199 states that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs should not deliberately construct or falsify an image of themselves for the purpose of concealment or self-display. More specifically, this may relate to the use of artificial means to change one’s appearance deceptively, such as applying plant juice to alter skin color, using excessive cosmetics, or other actions intended to create an illusion about oneself.

The deeper reason is that monastics should live with truthfulness and transparency. The Buddha Dharma emphasizes that the path of liberation is not attained through tricks or false images, but through actual conduct, truthful speech, and pure intention. When a practitioner constructs a false image, they not only deceive others but also deceive themselves, creating further fissures in the mind.

This rule applies to the whole renunciant community, restoring purity within the Sangha of monks and nuns. Anyone who violates it must undertake confession (pācittiya) before the Sangha in order to purify the mind and restore reputation.