Upp Sk 12Covering the Head
Pāli / Sanskrit:Oguṇṭhita
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Discourse on Covering the Head (Oguṇṭhita)
Background
The Discourse on Covering the Head is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka and reflects the concrete rules of life of the early Buddhist Sangha. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of teachings on disciplinary training and communal rules, intended to protect harmony in the community of monastics and maintain the spirit of practicing the Buddha-Dharma.
In the early history of the Sangha, the Buddha and his disciples lived an austere and self-disciplined life, with very simple ways of living. Yet as the Sangha developed, practical matters concerning clothing, personal hygiene, and conduct in different circumstances needed to be clarified. The Discourse on Covering the Head is one such specific instruction, related to how to carry out small but important details in the daily life of monastics.
Main Content
This discourse addresses the matter of covering the head or covering parts of the body in particular situations. In the context of Theravāda Buddhism, such regulations are not absolute laws applying in every circumstance, but flexible instructions depending on weather, locality, and practical conditions.
Covering the head may be understood in many ways: protecting the body from the effects of nature, such as sun, rain, and wind; maintaining decorum in certain social situations; or following local customs in order to avoid causing annoyance. Especially in meetings with non-Buddhists, a monastic's clothing and outward appearance affect how that person receives the Buddha-Dharma.
Such details in the Vinaya Piṭaka reflect a basic principle of Theravāda Buddhism: purposeful adaptation. The Buddha never gave unreasonable or rigid rules; every rule has a specific reason connected with the welfare of the monastics themselves or of the surrounding community.
Practical Meaning
Beyond its outward meaning, this discourse contains a profound lesson on the practical character of the Buddha-Dharma.
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