San Mu Bu Pm GBM 3 Np 7Accepting Too Many Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Tatuttari
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Tatuttari Sutta — On Accepting Too Many Robes
Background
The Tatuttari Sutta (accepting too many robes) records a disciplinary rule in the Vinaya, the Vinaya Piṭaka of Theravāda Buddhism. This account arose when bhikkhus in the Buddha’s Sangha community acted in a way that did not accord with the principle of disciplined self-restraint.
According to the Theravāda tradition, the Buddha established the Pātimokkha rules to maintain discipline in the Sangha body. The purpose was not punishment, but training bhikkhus to live simply and focus on study and practice rather than accumulating material things. Regulations concerning monastic robes (cīvara) are expressions of the renunciation of the cycle of possession and greed in the monastery.
Tatuttari refers to the specific situation in which a bhikkhu or group of bhikkhus accepted a number of robes exceeding the prescribed limit, violating the spirit of the Dhamma concerning simplicity and non-attachment. Receiving too many requisites is not only a material act but also reflects a decline in the mindful attitude toward practice.
Main Content
According to the Vinaya, each bhikkhu is permitted to own three robes, called “tisāra,” the three essential robes used for chanting, labor, and sleeping. This regulation is not arbitrary, but is based on deep understanding of human psychology. When one owns too much, mental energy is scattered, anxiety about protecting property increases, and the spirit of renunciation becomes unclear.
The Tatuttari Sutta warns that accepting too many robes is a form of violation, classified as Saṅghādisesa or Pācitta depending on the degree, offenses included in the Pātimokkha. A bhikkhu who commits this offense must confess before the Sangha community and undertake corrective practice. This is a mechanism of self-steadiness (satisampajañña), mindfulness and clear comprehension of one’s own actions.
Theravāda Buddhism does not regard the Vinaya as a cold system of punishment, but as an instrument of practice. Each fault is a lesson, and each confession is an opportunity for spiritual renewal (punabbhava).
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