Lzh Mi Bu Pm As 7Covering With Grass
Pāli / Sanskrit:Tiṇavatthāraka
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Tiṇavatthāraka Sutta — The Sutta on Covering with Grass
Background
The Tiṇavatthāraka Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda tradition of the Buddha-Dharma, where the rules of virtue and discipline of the Sangha are recorded in detail. This text refers to a legal regulation concerning the handling of natural objects, specifically grass, in the context of the monastic life of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs.
During the time of the Buddha, the Sangha lived according to the Vinaya, a system of rules intended to train the mind, cultivate ethics, and maintain harmony in the community of practice. These regulations were not arbitrary prohibitions, but arose from specific situations, events that occurred in the life of the Buddha and his disciples. The Tiṇavatthāraka Sutta arises from such an event, reflecting an attitude of respect for nature and carefulness in the actions of those who follow the Buddha-Dharma.
The word "Tiṇa" in Pāli means "grass" or "herb," while "vatthāraka" is related to the idea of protecting or covering. The title of this sutta evokes the image of covering or protecting grass, reflecting a basic ethical principle in the Buddha-Dharma: respect for life and avoidance of harm to living beings, even tiny beings such as worms and microorganisms living in the grass.
Main Content
The Tiṇavatthāraka Sutta stipulates that bhikkhus should not trample on or intentionally destroy grasses and plants, but should find ways to protect them. The specific content of this sutta has not been fully translated in available sources, but according to the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, this regulation is related to the Pātimokkha, the principal rules that bhikkhus must observe.
This rule arises from loving-kindness (mettā) and respect for all beings. In the Buddha-Dharma, the principle of ahiṃsā, non-harming, does not apply only to four-footed or blood-bearing animals, but also extends to plants and habitats.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.