Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Pc 173Having Someone Set Hair

The Sutra on Letting Another Person Curl or Arrange the Hair

Background

This text belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, in the Pātimokkha, the collection of minor rules of the Sangha. The Pātimokkha consists of subtle training rules established by the Buddha to protect the purity of the Sangha and help bhikkhus live according to the Dharma.

In the context of the early Sangha community, the Buddha established many minor rules concerning personal hygiene, outward appearance, and conduct in everyday surroundings. The Sutra on Letting Another Person Curl or Arrange the Hair is one of these minor rules, reflecting the Buddha’s carefulness in guiding the Sangha to live harmoniously and properly, avoiding actions that could cause misunderstanding or loss of humility in society.

Main Content

This minor rule concerns the cultivation of character (samādāna) and intimate actions that may cause suspicion or affect the minds of those who attend upon others. Specifically, it warns bhikkhus not to allow laypeople, especially women, to directly arrange or curl their hair in a way that could be understood as too intimate or excessively close.

This is not because the act of curling hair itself is bad, but because it can create situations that appear unnecessarily intimate. A bhikkhu should maintain dignity in all interactions and not allow any action that might give rise to suspicion about his purity or harm the common ethics of the Sangha.

This rule also reflects the principle of “avoiding suspicion” (aparihāniyā Dhammā), the conditions that protect the Buddha-Dharma from decline. It encourages bhikkhus to manage their personal needs themselves, or to request help from appropriate close companions, without relying on intimate actions with others.

Practical Meaning

This rule offers a profound lesson about “the mind of practice of a practitioner” (Ātāpī samprajāna).