Bi Pc 8484. Using sunshades and sandals
Pāli / Sanskrit:Chattupāhana
A nun who uses a sunshade and sandals must confess the offense.
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
CHATTUPĀHANA: USING SUNSHADES AND SANDALS
Background
This rule is recorded in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha (the code of rules for nuns) — the rhetorical section of the Vinaya Piṭaka dedicated specifically to female monastics in the Theravāda tradition. The Pātimokkha is a collection of the highest rules of conduct that bhikkhunīs must practise daily, and it is recited publicly on Uposatha days so that the nuns may examine themselves and confess their transgressions.
Chattupāhana (chat-tu-pā-ha-na) in Pāli means "sunshade" or "parasol" — an implement used to protect oneself from the sun. This rule belongs to the category of Pācittiya (offences of expiation) — that is, violations which must be confessed and atoned for before another bhikkhunī.
Main Content
In the spirit of the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, nuns are encouraged to live simply and to relinquish those articles which lead people toward greed or conceit. The parasol and sandals — ordinary objects as they are — are regarded as items that can reflect excessive attention to outward appearance or to physical comfort beyond what is truly necessary.
The text stipulates that a bhikkhunī should not use a sunshade or sandals as a habitual practice or for the sake of maintaining her personal appearance. If she does use them — even for medical reasons or in harsh weather — the nun must be mindful of that action and be prepared to confess this transgression before the monastic community.
This is not an absolute prohibition but rather an education in discernment and restraint. It serves as a reminder that even the smallest objects can become an opportunity to examine one's own mental motivation: are we being refined in our way of life, or are we drifting toward attachment?
Practical Significance
This rule should not be understood in an extreme sense. In the context of Theravāda Buddhism, it reflects a profound principle: a monastic must maintain a firm awareness of simplicity and must not allow minor objects to lead one astray from the path.
🌏 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.