Upp Np 6Asking an Unrelated Person for Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Aññātakaviññatti
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Exposition of the Aññātakaviññatti Sutta (Asking an Unrelated Person for Robes)
Context
The Aññātakaviññatti Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, in the supplementary section (Parivāra) of the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, where rules for bhikkhunīs are established. The background arises from the practical reality of the monastic community in the Buddha’s time: women renunciants needed to be provided with suitable robes (cīvara) for practice. However, not every case of asking for robes is permitted without restriction.
In the early tradition, the word “aññātaka” means “unrelated person, one with no blood relationship.” The legal issue arises when a bhikkhunī needs to ask for robes from such people, without the natural affection or close relation found with parents or family members. This rule regulates how such requests should be handled in order to avoid abuse or situations unsuitable to the pure life of practice.
Main Content
The Aññātakaviññatti rule states that a bhikkhunī should not directly ask for robes from people with whom she has no family relationship (aññātaka-purisa), especially men. If robes are necessary, the bhikkhunī must act through suitable intermediaries or use a method of asking that accords with the discipline.
The text details specific situations: when asking is permitted, when it is not permitted, and what conditions are required to avoid violation. In particular, the request for robes must be made in a way that does not cause misunderstanding and does not create an opportunity for improper interaction between a bhikkhunī and men outside her family.
This rule also regulates the purpose of asking for robes: it is allowed only when truly necessary, not out of greed or delight in finery. In addition, the manner of asking must be gentle, not forceful or insistent, but should instead show respect and humility.
Practical Meaning
The Aññātakaviññatti rule is not merely an administrative regulation, but expresses a profound principle in Buddhist practice: protecting purity of mind and avoiding latent dangers.
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