Xct Mu Bi Pm Pc 124Owning Wide Comb
Pāli / Sanskrit:Owning wide comb
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
EXPLANATION OF THE SUTTA “OWNING A WIDE COMB”
Background
This sutta appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the section of rules for bhikkhunīs. The context of the sutta concerns practical regulations on the personal property of female monastics in the Buddhist Sangha. The title “Owning a Wide Comb” reflects a specific case that arose in the monastic community, when the Buddha and the disciples needed to clarify the regulations on ownership and management of personal property.
The Vinaya Piṭaka in general was compiled to guide monks and nuns, the fourfold monastic community, in following disciplinary principles, thereby maintaining the spirit of practice and communal harmony. Regulations on property are not meaningless external matters; they are intended to cultivate a mind free from attachment and to reduce the disputes that arise from greed.
Main Content
Although the descriptive information provides limited detail about the content of this sutta, according to the context of the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, the matter of “owning a wide comb” concerns a situation in which a bhikkhunī possesses a personal item, a comb used to comb hair. The sutta considers whether possessing this item violates a rule, and under what circumstances it is permitted.
According to the basic principles of the Vinaya, bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs are permitted to possess necessary daily items for maintaining bodily cleanliness and supporting practice. A comb is regarded as a valid hygiene tool, not a luxury product. However, the Vinaya Piṭaka specifies the conditions: the item must not be too large or too expensive; it must be suitable to the simple life of a monastic.
This sutta, as explained in the tradition, clarifies that owning a wide comb, if it exceeds moderate standards, may be regarded as a violation of the rules concerning the management of property.
🌏 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.