Xct Mu Bi Pm Pc 120What is Scented

Explanation of the Vāsitaka Sutta (The Sutta on What Is Scented)

Background

The Vāsitaka Sutta is found in the Pātimokkha, the disciplinary section of the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically under Pācittiya, offenses requiring confession. It is a rule of purity concerning the use of fragrances and scented objects in the life of monastics.

The foundation of the sutta arises from the earliest history of the Buddhist Sangha, when the Buddha was still living. During that period, he came into contact with followers from many social classes, including wealthy people who enjoyed perfumes, fragrant oils, and luxurious aromatic substances. When monastics began to study the Buddha-Dharma, they needed guidance on how to live simply and reduce craving and desire.

The Vāsitaka Sutta was transmitted as a specific guide to help monastics avoid things that stimulate the faculties (indriya). This rule was not laid down out of mere principle, but because the Buddha recognized the potential harm when practitioners accepted luxurious things, which could lead to a decline in concentration (samādhi) and the loss of inner purity.

Main Content

The Vāsitaka Sutta states that monastics should not use, smear, or apply fragrant substances to their bodies. This includes perfumes, scented oils, fragrant powders, essential oils, and any substance used for the purpose of making oneself fragrant or more beautiful.

The reason for this prohibition is very profound. For a monk or nun, applying fragrant substances corresponds to seeking sensory satisfaction, thereby stimulating a mind drawn by desire. Fragrance is regarded as one of the five cords of sensual pleasure (pañca-kāmaguṇa): forms, sounds, smells, touches, and ideas. In fact, scent is a powerful weapon of craving, because it affects consciousness directly and subtly.

This Pācittiya also reflects the Dhamma principle of simplicity (apariggaha).