Lzh Mi Bu Vb Sk 44Covering the Head (2nd)
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dutiyaoguṇṭhita
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Dutiyaoguṇṭhita Sutta (The Second Covering of the Head)
Background
The Dutiyaoguṇṭhita Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, in the Suttavibhaṅga section, where regulations concerning the moral qualities of novices (Bhikkhu) and female novices (Bhikkhunī) are recorded. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the foundation for governing the Buddhist monastic community, established by the Buddha to protect the Holy Dharma and maintain harmony in the Sangha.
The title “Covering the Head” (Oguṇṭhita) suggests content related to the act of covering the head, a gesture connected with respect, concealment, or protection. The second occurrence (Dutiya) indicates that this is a repeated case or a second variant of a similar rule. In the context of the Pāli Vinaya Piṭaka, suttas of this kind usually concern behaviors that violate rules, or cases needing clarification so that monastics may understand the spirit of the discipline correctly.
Main Content
Although the descriptive information does not provide the specific scriptural content, according to the structure of the early Vinaya Piṭaka, the Dutiyaoguṇṭhita Sutta likely revolves around one of the following cases: the act of covering the head in inappropriate circumstances, or a variant of a rule concerning respectful attitude within the monastic community.
In the Theravāda tradition, covering the head has strong symbolic meaning. Covering the head or face may be connected with: (1) lack of respect toward others or the Three Jewels, (2) arrogance or unwillingness to cooperate with the community, or (3) the intentional concealment of one’s own faults. A related rule would usually have been established by the Buddha after a specific incident occurred, in order to instruct monastics in respect, transparency, and honesty.
This sutta, like others in the Suttavibhaṅga, may present: (1) the event that led to the rule, (2) the formal rule spoken by the Buddha, (3) exceptions or causal conditions, and (4) the method for judging whether the behavior constitutes an offense. This structure helps monastics understand not only the rule, but also the deeper spirit behind it.
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