Bu Np 1313. Making a new blanket with too much black wool
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dvebhāga
A monk who makes a blanket that contains more than fifty percent black wool must relinquish it and confess the offense.
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Exposition of the Dvebhāga Discourse (Bu Np 13)
Rule Concerning a Robe with Excessive Black Thread
Background
In the traditional Pāli Vinaya, detailed rules regarding the possessions and robes of monastics reflect the spirit of practice in Theravāda Buddhism. The Dvebhāga ("Two Parts") falls within the Nissaggiya Pācittiya — those offenses requiring forfeiture of the offending article together with confession of the transgression. This body of rules is recorded in the Bhikkhu Niddesa (the exposition of the rules for monks), an important section of the Vinaya Piṭaka.
The robe (cīvara) of a bhikkhu is not merely ordinary clothing but a symbol of humility and renunciation. The early history of Buddhism shows that robes were commonly sewn from discarded scraps of cloth and dyed with natural dyes. The rules concerning the color of robes reflect the principle of living simply and avoiding the allurements of worldly aesthetics.
Principal Content
The Dvebhāga rule stipulates that a bhikkhu may not have a new robe made in which the proportion of black thread (or dark-colored cloth) exceeds fifty percent. If a bhikkhu has completed the making of a robe that exceeds this prescribed ratio, the act is regarded as a Nissaggiya Pācittiya offense — meaning the bhikkhu must forfeit the entire robe and confess his fault before other virtuous members of the Saṅgha.
The rationale for this rule lies in the principle that a robe suitable for a monastic must be of a character that is not alluring and does not cultivate appearances or prestige. An excess of black thread or dark cloth could render the robe aesthetically attractive, contrary to the spirit of the humble and renounced life. The "two parts" rule (dvebhāga) — that is, no more than half — ensures that the robe retains a moderate, unadorned character in keeping with monastic virtue.
The offense is not one of deliberate or careless intent, but concerns quality control in the fashioning of personal requisites.
🌏 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.