Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Np 5Accepting Too Many Robes

Tatuttari Sutta: Accepting Too Many Robes

Background

The Tatuttari Sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, specifically in the section on Nissaggiya Pācittiya: rules whose violation requires forfeiture. This text arose from particular events while the Buddha and his disciples were still dwelling in the regions of ancient India.

The Vinaya records that, in the early days when the monastic community was being formed, bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs needed clear regulations in order to maintain discipline, morality, and focus on practice. The management of personal property, especially robes, a basic necessity that can easily become an object of attachment, was an area to which the Buddha gave particular attention.

Robes are not merely coverings for the body; they are symbols of renunciation and steady composure. The regulation concerning the number of robes and the manner of accepting them reflects a core principle: the monastic community practices to be liberated from craving, not to accumulate possessions.

Main Content

The Tatuttari Sutta concerns the situation in which a monk accepts too many robes, exceeding the permitted amount. In the Pāṭimokkha, a renunciant is usually allowed to possess at most the three basic robes, or a clearly prescribed number depending on circumstances and period.

When a monk, whether unintentionally or intentionally, receives more than the prescribed number, this is regarded as a breach of the Nissaggiya Pācittiya rule. The name “Tatuttari” means “exceeding” or “adding beyond the measure,” pointing precisely to the fault of going beyond what is permitted.

The text prescribes that if a monk receives an additional robe after already having the sufficient number, this rule is triggered. The remedy is forfeiture: the surplus robe must be returned or transferred, and the monk must carry out a prescribed period under the supervision of the Sangha, expressing remorse and reestablishing his commitment.