Bu Sk 22. Not wearing the upper robe evenly all around
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dutiyaparimaṇḍala
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Dutiyaparimaṇḍala (The Second [Rule] on Wearing the Robe Unevenly)
Background
This text belongs to the Khandhaka section of the Vinaya Piṭaka, containing detailed regulations concerning how Buddhist monks are to wear the upper robe (uttarāsaṅga). This portion of the Vinaya serves as guidance for the monastic community — both monks and nuns — in cultivating a practice that is bright, disciplined, and of resolute intention, so that through neither laziness nor discouragement would one disregard even the smallest details of the Vinaya rules.
The circumstances giving rise to these regulations were occasions when the Buddha and his senior disciples observed the conduct of monks within the monastic community. There were those who did not wear the upper robe properly — not draping it evenly around the body, but wearing it in a disorderly manner, partly exposed and partly covered — which created an undignified appearance, inconsistent with the spirit of renunciant practice.
Main Content
Dutiyaparimaṇḍala (parimaṇḍala meaning "round" or "evenly all around") stipulates that a monk must wear the upper robe (uttarāsaṅga) in such a way that it covers and drapes evenly around the entire body, without one side jutting out while the other is covered. This upper robe is an important part of the eightfold requisite of robes (aṭṭhavīriya) that monks are required to observe when going to receive teachings or participating in formal activities of the Sangha.
This regulation appears after the first instance (Tatiyaparimaṇḍala or analogous rules) in order to emphasize the importance of consistency. If the first instance raised the matter, this second instance seeks to affirm that this is not a matter of discretion but a fixed standard that every monk must follow. Wearing the robe unevenly is not merely a question of aesthetics or decorum; it also concerns the quality of mind in practice — one's attentiveness, carefulness (appamāda), and respect for the Vinaya rules.
Practical Significance
The deeper meaning of this regulation lies not in how the robe is worn, but in the spirit underlying the action. In Theravāda Buddhism, every small detail of the Vinaya serves the purpose of training the mind.
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