Lzh Sarv Bi Vb Sk 90Covering the Head

Oguṇṭhita Sutta - Covering the Head

Background

The rule Oguṇṭhita (Covering the Head) is recorded in the Vinaya Pitaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga (the analytical section concerning female bhikkhus). This is a disciplinary rule concerning the conduct of female monastics in the Theravāda Buddhist Sangha.

This rule arose from specific situations in the community of bhikkhunīs while the Buddha was still alive. It reflects practical issues of behavior, monastic bearing, and respect within the Sangha. The Pāli Vinaya values maintaining proper deportment between bhikkhus, devotees, and the public, helping to build trust in the Sangha.

The context of this text lies in the spirit of protecting the practice of bhikkhunīs, those who had gone forth from family life to train according to the Buddha’s teaching. The regulation of how the head is covered is not merely a matter of aesthetics or custom, but concerns dignity, mental discipline, and acknowledgment of the status of one who has renounced worldly life.

Main Content

The Oguṇṭhita Sutta prescribes that bhikkhunīs should not cover the head (oguṇṭhita, covered or concealed) in specific contexts, especially when attending formal assemblies, studying the Dharma, or on occasions when other bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs are present.

The act of covering the head with cloth or other objects, except in permitted cases such as protection from sun or rain, is considered disrespectful, like an expression of arrogance or a deliberate separation of oneself from the community. This rule prohibits forms of conduct that are not open and transparent within the Sangha.

Bhikkhunīs who violate this rule are regarded as having committed an improper act (dukkaṭa, an unwholesome action). Depending on the degree, they may have to receive admonition or be corrected by elder bhikkhunīs or those responsible for managing the Sangha.