San Lo Bi Vb Sk 18Covering the Head (2nd)

The Second Sutta on Covering the Head (Dutiyaoguṇṭhita)

Background

The Second Sutta on Covering the Head belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, the teaching on monastic discipline in the Theravāda Buddhist school. The content of the sutta concerns a rule of dress and bodily decorum for bhikkhus when participating in religious activities or performing Dharma duties. This sutta is presented in the context of the Buddha instructing his disciples about respect for the body and for the status of the renunciant.

In the foundation of Buddhist law, every bodily action is related to ethics (sīla) and to wholesome or unwholesome agency. Covering the head has symbolic meaning in relation to humility, respect for the Three Jewels, and respect for those senior in the ecclesiastical Sangha. This rule is not merely a matter of form, but also reflects the mental attitude of practice in one who has gone forth.

Main Content

The Second Sutta on Covering the Head states that bhikkhus must cover the head (oguṇṭhita) in certain circumstances. In particular, when entering solemn spaces such as relic stupas (stūpa), monasteries (vihāra), or when meeting elders of high virtue, covering the head is an expression of basic etiquette. The "second" (dutiya) in the title suggests that this is a repeated case or a variation of a similar rule already stated earlier.

According to the spirit of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the act of covering the head is not a matter of weather or bodily comfort, but a symbol of submission and respect. The head is considered the highest part of the human body; therefore, covering the head also expresses a spiritual bowing before the noble values of the Dharma and the Sangha.

The purpose of the Vinaya Piṭaka is not to restrict or create hardship, but to guide actions that show respect for the Dharma. Observing these small rules helps a bhikkhu train the mind, gradually removing conceit (māna) and craving (tanhā) toward one’s own body.