Lzh Sarv Bu Pm Np 8Requesting Fine Robes From a Robe Fund
Pāli / Sanskrit:Upakkhata
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The Upakkhata Sutta: Requesting Fine Clothing from a Robe Fund
Background
This text belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Patimokkha section of the Theravada Buddhist tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka records the rules of practice that the Buddha established in order to maintain discipline in the Sangha, protect the purity of the Buddhadharma, and safeguard the monastics.
The Upakkhata Sutta revolves around matters concerning the clothing of bhikkhus, one of the most practical matters in the life of renunciation. In the Theravada tradition, monastics are permitted to possess at most three robes (ticīvara): the outer robe, inner robe, and cloak. These robes must be requested, obtained through alms, or received from people of faithful mind. However, when a common fund for robes (Cīvarakhandaka) appeared, the question of how to request fine robes from this fund became a legal matter requiring clarity.
Main Content
This text teaches the legitimate conditions and manner for a bhikkhu who wishes to request superior, fine robes from the common robe fund of the Sangha. This is not a trivial matter; it concerns fairness, greed, and the monastic’s attitude toward practice.
According to the Theravada Vinaya, when the Sangha has a separate fund for procuring robes, usually voluntarily supported by faithful laypeople, bhikkhus are not permitted arbitrarily to request expensive robes or robes of especially higher quality than those of others. If there is a request, it must follow the formal procedure recognized by the Sangha, and there must be legitimate reasons such as health conditions or special circumstances.
This text warns that desire for fine material things is a sign of craving (lobha), one of the three unwholesome roots (akusala) that monastics must eradicate. Excessive or improper requests violate the spirit of the Vinaya and cause division in the Sangha.
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