Lzh Mi Bi Vb Sk 92Covering the Head
Pāli / Sanskrit:Oguṇṭhita
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THE OGUṆṬHITA SUTRA: A TRAINING RULE ON COVERING THE HEAD
Background
In the Pali Canon, the Vinaya Piṭaka preserves the disciplinary regulations established by the Buddha for the Sangha. The Oguṇṭhita sutra (Vietnamese: Covering the Head) appears among the rules related to the conduct and standards of behavior of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. This is not a discourse on the Dharma (Sutta), but a training rule related to propriety in life and practice.
The background from which this sutra arose is connected with specific situations in which the Buddha's disciples violated proper conduct or caused confusion in the community. These rules were established to maintain purity, dignity, and order in the Sangha, while also helping practitioners avoid actions that might create suspicion or show disrespect.
Main Content
The Oguṇṭhita sutra concerns regulations on covering the head or covering the body in different contexts. According to the Early tradition, bhikkhus are required to maintain dignified form, especially in daily activities such as going for alms, chanting, or communicating with devotees. Covering the body appropriately is not only a religious matter, but also an expression of self-restraint, discipline, and respect for the Dharma injunction.
Specifically, this rule warns against actions such as covering the head and face completely in a way that may create suspicion, or covering inappropriately in circumstances where clarity and transparency are necessary. For bhikkhunīs, the standard of dignity is observed even more strictly. This reflects a basic principle of the Vinaya: the external actions of a practitioner must accord with the inner state, that is, a pure mind with no intention of concealment or betrayal.
Practical Meaning
Although it may sound like a minor regulation, the Oguṇṭhita sutra carries a profound lesson about honesty and transparency.
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