San Mg Bu Pm Np 7Accepting Too Many Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Tatuttari
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TATUTTARI DISCOURSE: ACCEPTING TOO MANY ROBES
Background
The Tatuttari discourse (Tatuttari-Sutta) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the instructional rules for female monastics. This discourse records an act of violation of the Buddha’s discipline, concerning the acceptance of robe requisites (allocated robes) beyond the prescribed number.
In the Theravāda tradition, the Buddha established the Vinaya Piṭaka with subtlety, step by step, based on incidents as they arose. Whenever a female monastic violated discipline, the Buddha would formulate a new rule to prevent recurrence. The Tatuttari discourse reflects one such specific case, intended to maintain purity and propriety in the Sangha.
Main Content
The discourse records that a female monastic accepted robe requisites beyond the prescribed limit. Robe requisites (saṅghāṭī or cīvara) are cloths or garments worn by monastics, allocated according to actual need and the regulations of the Sangha. The rule concerning the number of robes one may possess is not intended as restriction for its own sake, but to ensure the spirit of renunciation and non-accumulation of possessions.
When the Buddha learned of this action, he voiced criticism. He emphasized that female monastics should not be greedy for the requisites of practice, even robes. Such greed contradicts the nature of going forth, which is to step out of the world of possession and desire. Therefore, the Buddha established the rule that female monastics may accept only an amount corresponding to genuine need, and the subsequent provisions limit the acceptance of “too many” robe requisites.
Violation of this rule is regarded as an offense of a certain degree (depending on how each tradition calculates it), requiring public confession or other measures of handling according to the regulations of the Sangha.
Meaning for Practice
The Tatuttari discourse is not merely a technical administrative regulation, but carries a profound spiritual message.
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