Bi Sk 99. Lifting the robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ukkhittaka
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Ukkhittaka Rule (The Rule on Lifting the Robes)
Background
The Ukkhittaka Rule belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Theravāda Canon, found within the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga (the Analysis of the Rules for Nuns). This is a Vinaya rule concerning the disciplined life of Buddhist nuns, particularly regulations regarding manner of dress and daily conduct within the Saṅgha.
The occasion for this rule arose from disciplinary violations by nuns during the time of the Buddha, when certain individuals did not adhere to the standards of proper dress and diligent practice. The Buddha, with his boundless wisdom, promulgated detailed regulations to maintain the purity of the Saṅgha, to protect the honour of the Dharma, and to establish a well-disciplined community of practitioners.
Principal Content
The Ukkhittaka Rule (from ukkhitta = lifted up, ka = the act) concerns the action of lifting or pulling up one's robe, a conduct regarded as disrespectful or lacking in dignity within the context of Buddhist practice. This rule establishes specific conditions and situations regarding how nuns should be dressed in various contexts.
The rule makes clear that nuns must wear an appropriate minimum of clothing, especially during mealtimes or when receiving visitors. Carelessly lifting the robe or exposing too much of the body is considered a violation of the propriety and decorum the Buddha required. This regulation is not on account of any prurient concern, but out of respect for the practice and in order to protect the good reputation of the Saṅgha.
This rule also reflects a general principle running throughout the Vinaya Piṭaka: even minor regulations concerning bodily actions carry a deep significance for diligent practice. Each rule is a step in the training of mindfulness, in the restraint of the sense faculties, and in the maintenance of dignified composure at all times and in all places.
Practical Significance
The Ukkhittaka Rule teaches us that Buddhist practice is not concerned solely with meditation or with lofty intellectual understanding, but begins with the smallest details of bodily conduct. Each moment should be seized as an opportunity to manifest heedfulness (appamāda), which is one of the fundamental factors of the path to liberation.
🌏 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.