Bu Np 88. Requesting a fine robe from a fund
Pāli / Sanskrit:Upakkhata
If a lay person wants to buy a robe for a monk, and the monk asks them for a fine robe, he must relinquish the robe and confess the offense.
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Explanation of the Upakkhata Sutta (Bu Np 8)
The Sutta on a Fine Robe from a Donor's Fund
Background
The Upakkhata Sutta is recorded in the Nissaggiya Pācittiya section (Offenses Requiring Forfeiture and Confession) of the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition. This portion of the Vinaya pertains to monks practicing within a community and receiving offerings from lay supporters. The management of material possessions—especially essential items for monastic life such as robes (cīvara)—was regarded by the Buddha as an integral aspect of disciplinary practice.
The context of this sutta arose from specific situations during the course of the Buddha's propagation of the Dharma. As the Saṅgha grew and the number of monks increased, matters relating to robe funds became more complex. Certain monks, driven by greed and lacking in restraint, began requesting fine and costly robes from lay supporters who had willingly offered their assistance. It is precisely this conduct that the Buddha sought to prevent through this sutta.
Main Content
According to the Upakkhata, a transgression occurs when a compassionate lay supporter wishes to provide a robe for a monk, but the monk takes advantage of that goodwill to request a robe that is finer and more costly than the supporter originally intended to offer. This act is termed upakkhata—meaning "to request beyond what is offered" or "to encourage greed."
The consequences of this offense are clear: the monk must forfeit the fine robe he has received through such manipulation. He must then make a formal confession (āpatti desanā) before the community of the Saṅgha regarding the offense he has committed. This is a Nissaggiya Pācittiya—that is, an offense requiring both the forfeiture of the article and a confession in order to make amends.
The Pāli text not only specifies the transgressive act but also imparts teaching concerning a fundamental quality of mind: greed and the exploitation of another's generosity are contrary to the spirit of a monk's practice.
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