San Lo Bu Pm Sk 19Lifted Robe (2nd)

Explanation of the Dutiyaukkhittaka Discourse (Lifted Robe, Second Time)

Background

The Dutiyaukkhittaka discourse is one of the texts belonging to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, recorded in Pāli. This discourse concerns a training rule related to dress style and the way bhikkhus in the Sangha use their robes.

The Vinaya Piṭaka in general is not a teaching about wisdom or meditation, but a collection of laws and standards of conduct intended to maintain discipline and harmony in the monastic community. Dutiyaukkhittaka specifically addresses the matter of wearing the robe, a detail that may seem minor but carries deep meaning regarding adjustment, self-control, and respect for Sangha rituals.

Main Content

In the spirit of the Vinaya Piṭaka, Dutiyaukkhittaka, tentatively translated as “Lifted Robe, Second Time,” concerns situations in which a bhikkhu needs to adjust the way he wears the robe, that is, the monastic robe of Buddhist bhikkhus. Lifting the robe once, twice, or many times is not merely a physical act, but reflects the monastic’s attitude toward discipline and the rules of training.

In the Vinaya context, the robe (uttarāsaṅga) is one of the three robes that make up a bhikkhu’s clothing. The way this robe is worn is regulated in detail to ensure suitability for ceremony and to show dignity and reverence toward the Dharma. Dutiyaukkhittaka refers to specific cases when the robe needs to be adjusted, perhaps because it has slipped, or because a situation requires the bhikkhu to lift the robe in order to perform an action properly.

This discourse, like many other texts in the Vinaya Piṭaka, does not only state the rule but also records the Dharma discussion of the Buddha or the decisions of the Sangha in order to clarify the intention behind the rule. The purpose is for bhikkhus to understand that things that seem trivial have a profound purpose in practice.