Lzh Sarv Bu Pm 2 Np 6Asking an Unrelated Person for Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Aññātakaviññatti
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Explanation of the Aññātakaviññatti Sutta
Asking an Unrelated Person for an Inner Robe
Background
The Aññātakaviññatti Sutta, asking an unrelated person for an inner robe, is a rule in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhuvibhaṅga of the Theravāda tradition. This passage records the Buddha’s instructions on the rule when bhikkhus, male monastics, need to ask for an inner robe, especially in cases involving persons who are not relatives or people with an appropriate relationship to them.
The Vinaya Piṭaka was established to protect the purity of the Sangha, maintain internal discipline, and educate bhikkhus to live a simple life, avoiding activities that might cause suspicion or weaken the confidence of the community. Rules concerning clothing and ways of asking for basic requisites reflect this concern: even small matters must be carried out with care and purity.
Main Content
According to the Bhikkhuvibhaṅga, when a bhikkhu needs to ask for an inner robe (antarvāsa), he must observe certain principles. If the giver is aññātaka, an unrelated person, not a mother, sister, or someone in a close family relationship, the bhikkhu should not make a direct request but should have an intermediary or obtain confirmation from the Sangha.
The reason behind this rule is to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings or suspicion. In ancient society, an unmarried man receiving a gift from a woman without witnesses could be misunderstood. The Buddha taught that bhikkhus must not only live a pure life, but must also avoid situations that appear impure; this is called "avoiding even the shadow of evil" (appacchannakāraṇa).
In the Vinaya, asking must follow specific conditions: one must state the purpose clearly, must not use subtle words or indirect hints, and ideally should act before witnesses or through an intermediary. If a bhikkhu violates these principles, the action is not considered a Pārājika, an offense of defeat, but it is still regarded as improper and may be criticized within the Sangha.
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