Lzh Sarv Bu Pm 2 Np 7Accepting Too Many Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Tatuttari
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SUTTA ON RECEIVING MORE THAN THREE KĀṢĀYA ROBES
Background
This sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically the Pātimokkha section of the Theravāda tradition. The Pātimokkha is the basic code that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs must observe. The issue of the number of kāṣāya robes (cīvara) that one gone forth may possess is one of the detailed rules that helps maintain communal discipline and the spirit of modesty.
In the context of early Buddhism, bhikkhus lived a simple life, possessing only the minimum requisites necessary. The kāṣāya robe is not only clothing but also a symbol of going forth and liberation from material grasping. However, as the community developed, some bhikkhus began to accumulate too many kāṣāya robes, violating the spirit of practice. The Tatuttari Sutta records the rules established by the Buddha to correct this situation.
Main Content
According to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, each bhikkhu is permitted to possess at most three sets of kāṣāya robes (tissamvaraṇa, three robes). This principle is called "tatuttari," or "beyond three." If a bhikkhu receives additional kāṣāya robes beyond this number without a legitimate reason, or without permission from the community, that is regarded as a violation of Nissaggiya Pācittiya, a type of offense requiring confession and relinquishment of the offending article.
This rule is not absolute. There are exceptional cases: a bhikkhu may be permitted to keep an additional robe if there is a reasonable cause, such as an old robe being damaged, or preparation for the rainy season when washing is not possible. However, such cases must be attested by the community or by a senior bhikkhu.
The sutta emphasizes that accumulating too many kāṣāya robes contradicts the four primary requisites (cattāro paccaya) that a bhikkhu needs: clothing (cīvara), food (piṇḍapāta), lodging (senāsana), and medicine (bhesajja).
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