Lzh Mu Bu Vb Np 6Asking an Unrelated Person for Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Aññātakaviññatti
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The Sutta on Requesting Robes from an Outsider
Aññātakaviññatti
Background
This sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the Vinaya for bhikkhunīs, a collection of training rules and stories recounting violations in the community of bhikkhunīs during the Buddha’s time. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the foundation for ethical conduct and discipline in the Theravāda Buddhist community of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs.
During the Buddha’s time, the bhikkhunī community encountered many practical issues related to practice. One important issue was the management of material possessions, especially clothing, an essential need for the humble life. This sutta handles the specific situation in which a bhikkhunī needs to request robes from people who are not members of the Sangha community.
Main Content
The term “aññātaka,” outsider or unrelated person, refers to people who are not part of the Sangha, the renunciant community, or who are not close relatives. “Viññatti” means a formal request or appeal. Thus this sutta discusses the principles and conditions under which a bhikkhunī is permitted to request requisites from people outside the Sangha.
In the context of Vinaya study, purity of ethical conduct (sīla) concerns not only inward actions but also the way one interacts with the world. When a bhikkhunī requests robes from someone else, she must follow strict rules to avoid violating the integrity of ethical conduct.
This sutta clearly states that a bhikkhunī may request robes from an unrelated person only in specific circumstances. If these conditions are not followed, the act is considered a Vinaya offense (āpatti). The conditions often include having a valid reason, having the permission of the community, or the persons being parents or family relatives.
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