San Mu Bu Pm GBM 3 Np 8Requesting Fine Robes From a Robe Fund
Pāli / Sanskrit:Upakkhata
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Upakkhata Sutta: Requesting Fine Undergarments From the Requisite Fund
Background
The Upakkhata Sutta (Pāli: meaning “requested” or “asked for”) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically the Bhikkhu Pātimokkha, the disciplinary code for bhikkhus. The context of this sutta arises from regulations concerning the use of a fund for providing under-robes (cīvara-bhaṇḍa) in the early Buddhist monastic community.
During the Buddha’s lifetime, bhikkhus lived according to the principles of relying on hospitality and alms. Undergarments were not personal property but were considered common requisites of the community, managed by senior members. When someone needed a new under-robe, he had to request it from the monastery’s common store of requisites. The Upakkhata Sutta addresses provisions regulating how to request fine under-robes, avoiding abuse or requests beyond one’s real need.
Main Content
The Upakkhata Sutta makes clear that when a bhikkhu needs to request a new under-robe, he is not permitted on his own to ask for costly or finest under-robes without a legitimate reason. Requesting an under-robe must follow the principle of genuine need: if your old under-robe can still be used, you should not request a new one.
The law states that under-robes requested from the community’s common fund (bhaṇḍa) must be appropriate to ordinary standards. One must not ask for under-robes made of expensive material, finely dyed, or with elaborate decoration, unless there are special conditions such as old age, illness, or a special duty in the community.
The sutta also lays down that the request process must be conducted openly, through the fund manager or appointed members. This ensures transparency and avoids favoritism or hidden transactions. If anyone violates these regulations, for example by requesting a fine under-robe without a legitimate reason, it is regarded as an offense of Saṅghādisesa or Pācittiya, depending on the degree of violation.
Practical Meaning
The Upakkhata Sutta is not merely a technical regulation about requisites.
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