San Lo Bi Vb Np 7Accepting Too Many Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Tatuttari
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EXPLANATION OF THE TATUTTARI TEXT (ACCEPTING EXCESSIVELY MANY ROBES)
Background
Tatuttari, a Pāli word meaning "exceeding, more than," is a peccayanirutti, a secondary rule, in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the analysis of discipline for women renunciants, of the Suttavibhaṅga in the Vinaya Piṭaka. This rule was recorded to guide bhikkhunīs, women who have gone forth, in managing personal property, especially robe sets (uttarāsaṅga).
The historical background of this rule arose from concrete situations in the early Sangha. The Buddha Śākyamuni saw that some women monastics were accumulating too many cloth robes, exceeding their actual needs, which was contrary to the austere and non-greedy spirit of Buddhism. Hoarding excessive property not only runs counter to the simple way of life, but may also create disputes, jealousy, and afflictions within the religious community.
The Vinaya Piṭaka was compiled to maintain discipline and harmony in the Sangha, helping monastics focus on the practice of liberation rather than being drawn in by material possessions. The rule concerning accepting too many robes is an indispensable part of this disciplinary system.
Main Content
Tatuttari prescribes that a woman monastic should not accept or store a number of cloth robes exceeding three sets. Usually each bhikkhunī is permitted to keep three uttarāsaṅgas, upper robes or outer robes, for alternating use: one set to wear, one set to wash, and one set for use in emergencies.
If a woman monastic accepts or accumulates more than these three robes without a lawful reason, such as intending to give them away or having permission from other monastics, this is regarded as an unwise act. The rule is not stated as a pārājika or saṅghādisesa, the gravest violations, but is considered a peccayanirutti, a minor yet important rule in terms of personal discipline.
This rule is also related to the principle of how women monastics handle communal property and personal property.
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