Lzh Mu Bu Vb Np 9Requesting Fine Robes From a Combined Robe Fund

The Sutta on Requesting Silk Robes from a Common Fund

Background

This sutta is drawn from the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically from the Pātimokkha of the bhikkhunīs. The original title “Dutiyaupakkhata,” the second requested item, reflects a specific situation in the community of women monastics during the time of the Blessed Buddha.

The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection that records in detail rules of conduct, ways of interaction, and methods for resolving disputes in the Sangha. These collections are not dry punitive commands, but expressions of the Blessed Buddha’s compassion and careful concern for the Sangha, those who have gone forth to practice the path of liberation.

The issue of clothing (cīvara) is an important practical aspect of renunciant practice. The Blessed Buddha prescribed suitable standards: not too luxurious, so as to avoid sensual desire, yet sufficiently appropriate to stabilize the mind. This sutta concerns the case of bhikkhunīs requesting silk robes (poseyyaka, a fine and delicate cloth) from a common fund decided upon by the Sangha.

Main Content

In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, “upakkhata” here means requesting or seeking permission to use communal property. When the Sangha decides to establish a robe fund or shared property, the members must follow a specific procedure to request its use.

The case of “the second” suggests that there may have been a previous request, or that the situation was considered a second time with different details. This sutta may remind us that women monastics cannot arbitrarily request silk robes, but need formal approval from the community. Silk (poseyyaka) is generally considered a luxurious material, and therefore its use needs to be regulated to ensure modesty and to avoid falling into sensual desire.

The rules in the Vinaya Piṭaka do not only govern outward actions; they also guide the mind, training practitioners to abandon greed and develop contentment with what is necessary.