San Mg Bu Pm Sk 8Lifted Robe
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ukkhittaka
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Ukkhittaka Rule (The Rule on the Lifted Robe)
Background
The Ukkhittaka rule belongs to the Vinaya Pitaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition and is recorded in the Bhikkhu Pātimokkha, the basic code for monks. This rule arose from incidents occurring within the monastic community, when the Buddha established rules of practice in order to maintain discipline and harmony.
Specifically, “Lifted Robe” (Ukkhittaka) concerns the way of handling the monastic robe (Pāli: cīvara) in particular situations, especially when monastics need to move about or engage in activity. The background for establishing this rule comes from the understanding that the way the robe is worn is not merely a practical matter but also reflects disciplined conduct: respect and carefulness in the behavior of one gone forth.
Main Content
In the context of the Vinaya Pitaka, the Ukkhittaka rule addresses regulations concerning how to lift or carry the monastic robe, more precisely, how to manage the robe in necessary situations. These are not arbitrary regulations, but have a profound purpose: to preserve the dignity of the monastic, and to avoid actions that appear careless or lacking in proper standards within the community.
Teachings in the Vinaya Pitaka were often laid down when the Buddha witnessed improper conduct among monastics. This rule, like many other parts of the Vinaya, serves to prohibit specific actions considered unsuitable, while also acknowledging particular cases in which exceptions may be permitted.
The specific content of this rule has not yet been fully translated in the available sources. However, according to the general spirit of the Vinaya Pitaka, regulations concerning the monastic robe (cīvara) all aim at three basic points: protecting the body, maintaining moral discipline (sīla), and expressing respect for the Dharma.
Practical Meaning
Although the Ukkhittaka rule concerns a detail of how the robe is worn, it reflects an important principle in Theravāda Buddhism: no action of a monastic is “meaningless.” Every gesture, every garment, every way of moving is an expression of the mind of practice.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.