San Sarv Bu Pm Tf 11 Sk 96Covering the Head
Pāli / Sanskrit:Oguṇṭhita
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
THE SUTTA ON COVERING THE HEAD (OGUṆṬHITA)
Background
The Oguṇṭhita Sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, with the Buddha Śākyamuni and the renunciant disciples of the Sangha as the central figures. This sutta arose from a specific event in the community of bhikkhus or bhikkhunīs.
The Vinaya Piṭaka records the training rules issued by the Buddha in order to maintain discipline in the Sangha, protect the honor of practitioners, and create favorable conditions for the practice of the precepts. The Oguṇṭhita Sutta concerns the act of covering the head, a behavior that caused controversy or was considered discourteous in the monastic context.
Depending on the specific circumstances, this action could be seen as an expression of pride, disrespect, or an inappropriate way of concealing the body within the discipline of practice. The Buddha did not merely forbid an action, but clearly taught the principle behind it: mindfulness of dignity, humility, and diligence in practice.
Main Content
In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Oguṇṭhita Sutta refers to specific situations in which practitioners cover the head in an inappropriate way. This may occur when a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī covers the head while practicing the Dharma, or when meeting those worthy of respect, such as the Buddha or elder teachers.
The Buddha then established a rule (Pātimokkha/Prātimokṣa, a rule of the code): practitioners should not cover the head in certain circumstances, especially when attending gatherings of the Sangha, reciting scriptures, or participating in collective meditation sessions. The act of covering the head may conceal facial expression, reduce attentiveness, or indicate an attitude of disrespect.
This rule is not an unreasonable prohibition, but arises from the principle of whole practice: awareness of the entire body, clear wisdom, and respect for the monastic community.
🌏 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.