San Lo Bu Pm As 7Covering With Grass

Exposition of the Tiṇavattharaka Sutta (Covering with Grass)

Background

The Tiṇavattharaka Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Pitaka of the Pali Canon, the regulations concerning the virtuous conduct of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis in the Buddhist Sangha. Unlike the discourses in the Sutta Pitaka, which focus on doctrine, the Vinaya Pitaka consists of disciplinary provisions established by the Buddha to maintain pure conduct and harmony in the renunciant community.

This discourse is recorded among the Common Rules (Patimokkha) or in the detailed Vinaya sections, relating to prohibitions concerning the use and care of monastic requisites, especially natural materials such as grass. This context reflects the simple life, close to nature, of the bhikkhus of the Buddha's time, when monasteries were mainly built from wood, bamboo, dried grass, and natural materials.

Main Content

The Tiṇavattharaka Sutta concerns the use of grass or straw to cover surfaces, perhaps for roofing, padding a floor, or providing shelter. This regulation relates to the principle of common Sangha property and the handling of valuable materials.

The content of this discourse may refer to: (1) using grass to cover or protect common objects or monastic structures; (2) restrictions on private use or appropriation of these materials without permission; or (3) rules concerning hygiene and maintenance of shared living spaces. In the Vinaya context, every detail may seem insignificant, but in reality each aims to cultivate ethical qualities: non-greed, respect for common property, and obedience to the decisions of the monastic community.

This regulation may also relate to the principle of "not abusing private ownership" (aniccata pasannata), helping bhikkhus recognize that all requisites, whether belonging to the Sangha or to individuals, are temporary things not worthy of infatuation.