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Pāli / Sanskrit:Veṭhita
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The Veṭhita Discourse (The Discourse on Wrapped Cloths)
Background
The Veṭhita discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Early Buddhist Dharma tradition, specifically in the Mūla-Sarvāstivāda section or other Vinaya collections of the Pāli Canon. These are regulations concerning the garments and adornments of bhikkhunīs (female renunciants). This discourse was recorded in the context of the Buddha and the Sangha (the monastic community) establishing rules of life to maintain purity, self-restraint, and conformity with the spiritual mission of those who had gone forth.
Regulations concerning clothing were not a trivial matter in the Early Buddhist Dharma. They reflect the fundamental principle of restraint and the abandonment of indulgence in conduct. Bhikkhunīs needed to follow these regulations to maintain the image of monastics, avoid arousing unwholesome states of mind, and show their determination to relinquish worldly pleasures.
Main Content
The Veṭhita discourse regulates the use of scarves, wrapped cloths, and related forms of dress (veṭhita - that is, things wrapped, tied, or covered). Specifically, this discourse reflects on inappropriate ways of wearing scarves, tying cloths, and using decorative accessories that bhikkhunīs should not use.
The regulations prohibit the use of decorative scarves and cloths, or ways of wrapping cloth that are showy, sensual, or resemble the dress of worldly women. Instead, bhikkhunīs should wear scarves and saffron robes simply and gracefully, in keeping with the status of monastics. A scarf should be wrapped so that it covers the body naturally, neither tightly bound to display the figure nor covered in a way that is revealing or suggestive.
This discourse also identifies specific cases: when a scarf may be used, in what circumstances a scarf is permitted (such as covering a wound or protecting health), and which uses are considered violations of monastic discipline. Violations concerning clothing may lead to penalties ranging from admonition to heavier measures, depending on the degree of the violation and the intention.
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