Bu Sk 99. Lifting the robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ukkhittaka
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THE DISCOURSE ON LIFTING THE ROBE (Ukkhittaka)
Background
The Ukkhittaka belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, the code of discipline established by the Buddha for the Saṅgha. In the early period of Buddhism, monks were required to observe positive rules concerning monastic dress, particularly regarding the wearing of the saṅghāṭi (kabāyika), the three-part unstitched robe regarded as a symbol of simplicity and discipline.
This text records a specific situation in which certain monks did not properly observe the correct manner of wearing the robe, leading the Buddha to lay down a regulation concerning "lifting the robe," that is, the proper way of maintaining and managing one's monastic garment. These are not mere prohibitions, but guidelines intended to cultivate mindfulness, self-respect, and inner discipline within the monastic community.
Main Content
Within the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the matter of "lifting the robe" (ukkhittaka) relates directly to the manner in which monks care for and make use of their monastic garments. The robe is composed of three separate pieces of cloth, and the manner of wearing it must follow certain principles. To lift or store the robe improperly is not merely an aesthetic concern; it also reflects a lack of mindfulness and respect toward one's requisites.
The Buddha taught that a practitioner must demonstrate propriety in every action, even in matters as small as the way one wears one's robe. This arises from the principle of appamāda — non-negligence, non-heedlessness — one of the foundational elements of the Buddha's teaching. The regulation concerning the proper lifting of the robe is intended to help monks maintain constant vigilance and self-awareness, moment by moment, throughout every season of the monastic life.
These regulations also reflect the way in which the Buddha established a monastic community with a consistent and dignified outward appearance. When all members of the Saṅgha adhere to the same standard, this creates an environment supportive of practice, enabling each individual to more readily sustain concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā).
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