San Sarv Bi Pm Tf 3215 Np 8Excessive Prompting for Robe Funds
Pāli / Sanskrit:Rāja
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Exposition of the Sutta on Excessive Prompting for Robe Funds
Background
In the tradition of the Pāli Canon, the foundation of Theravāda Buddhism, the Vinaya Pitaka records rules of practice for monks and nuns. This sutta belongs to the Bhikkhu Pātimokkha, the monastic code, in the Nisaggiya Pācittiya section, offenses requiring forfeiture and confession. It revolves around a common situation in the monastic community: excessive requesting of robe-cloth funds, beyond legitimate need.
The three robes, or robe-cloth (cīvara), are an essential need of one gone forth. However, the Buddha-Dharma warns of the latent greed involved in accumulating or urging others to provide more than is necessary. This sutta reflects the Buddha’s wisdom in regulating the minds and actions of disciples, keeping monastics from falling into craving and materialism.
Main Content
The specific content of this sutta has not yet been fully translated in the available materials. However, according to the general context of Nisaggiya Pācittiya, this offense lays down that a bhikkhu should not be overly active or insistent in urging relatives or Dharma students to provide robe-cloth beyond a sufficient amount. Specifically, if a bhikkhu already has enough robes but continues to suggest, urge, or encourage others to make or provide more, that action is considered improper, inconsistent with the principle of “knowing moderation” (mattaññutā).
The penalty for this fault is that the bhikkhu must forfeit the inappropriately received robe and then confess before the Sangha. This is not only the act of “giving up” a material object, but also giving up the mind of greed and laxity in monastic discipline. This rule emphasizes that, whether with lodging or clothing, a true monastic must know the point of stopping, knowing when enough is enough.
Practical Meaning
The sutta teaches that clever greed is a root of suffering. A monastic practicing the Noble Eightfold Path cannot be careless with material things, even under the guise of “needs for 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.