Bi As 77. Covering over as if with Grass
Pāli / Sanskrit:Tiṇavatthāraka
If a dispute involves a number of offenses on both sides, and the Order considers that dealing with all the offenses in the usual manner is likely to lead to harshness or schism, then the Order may decide to do a procedure whereby all the offenses are cleared. Offenses that cannot be cleared in this way are those entailing expulsion and suspension, as well as any offenses that involve lay people.
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Tiṇavatthāraka: The Method of Covering Over as with Grass
Background
The Tiṇavatthāraka (Covering over as with grass) is an important legal document within the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, belonging to the Bhikkhunī Adhikaraṇa Samatha section (procedures for settling cases). The name carries the idea of "covering over" or "setting aside" offences in the way that a farmer covers the ground with grass to allow wounds in the earth to heal. The text records a special reconciliation procedure applied by the Sangha in situations involving complex disputes.
The context in which this text arises concerns situations of internal conflict among members of the Sangha, where offences (āpatti) have occurred on both sides. This is a sensitive matter within the monastic community, because handling such cases strictly according to the ordinary procedure could lead to excessive harshness or cause a schism. The Tiṇavatthāraka method is therefore a wise solution, balancing the protection of discipline with the maintenance of harmony within the Sangha.
Main Content
The text prescribes that when a dispute involves numerous offences on both sides, and the Sangha recognizes that dealing with all these offences by the ordinary means would lead to harshness or to a schism (bheda), the Sangha may issue a formal decision to apply this special procedure. Through this procedure, all the offences are regarded as "covered over" or "set aside" simultaneously.
However, the text sets out clear restrictions regarding which categories of offence may not be dealt with in this way. Offences entailing expulsion from the Sangha (parivāsa, nissaya, pārisuddhi) and suspension (paṭisāraṇa or ukkaṭṭhāna) are not permitted to be handled through this method. Furthermore, any offence involving a lay person (upāsaka/upāsikā) likewise falls outside the scope of its application.
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