Lzh Sarv Bu Vb As 7Covering With Grass
Pāli / Sanskrit:Tiṇavatthāraka
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Exposition of the Tiṇavatthāraka Discourse (Covering with Grass)
Context
The Tiṇavatthāraka discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Pāli Canon of Theravāda Buddhism. This is one of the detailed Vinaya discourses, recording rules for the monastic life of monks and nuns, intended to maintain discipline and harmony in the Sangha.
This discourse is treated in the context of the Buddha instructing his disciples about conduct related to caring for the living spaces of monastics. Specifically, the content revolves around covering or sheltering with natural materials such as grass, straw, and leaves, things directly related to maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in the dwellings of the Sangha.
The historical context of this discourse is connected with the period when the Buddha established specific rules of practice based on actual situations that arose. When problems emerged from practice, the Buddha would speak instructions (ajjhāsaya) or regulations (sekhiya) to regulate the conduct of monks and nuns.
Main Content
The Tiṇavatthāraka discourse concerns rules about using grass, straw, or other natural plant materials to cover, shelter, or spread over the dwellings and living spaces of monastics. Although the specific detailed content has not been fully translated, according to the general context of the Vinaya Pitaka, these instructions usually concern:
First, cleanliness and hygiene. In monasteries during the Buddha's time, maintaining a clean living environment was an important part of moral conduct. Grass or straw was used to cover areas that needed protection from dust, insects, or heat and cold.
Second, limitations on personal property. Buddhist monastics practice the principle of fewness of wishes (appicchata), that is, little desire. Therefore, the furnishing of living space must meet only minimal necessary standards, not becoming luxurious or disorderly in decoration.
Third, community discipline. These rules help monastics live harmoniously, avoiding disputes over public or private use of shared spaces.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.