• Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
  • The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
  • The chapter on training Sekhiyakaṇḍa
  • The subchapter on shoes Pādukavagga

66. The training rule on headdresses 66. Veṭhitasikkhāpada

Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At that time the monks from the group of six gave teachings to people with headdresses. … Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū veṭhitasīsassa dhammaṁ desenti …pe….

Final ruling

“‘I will not give a teaching to anyone with a headdress who is not sick,’ this is how you should train.” “Na veṭhitasīsassa agilānassa dhammaṁ desessāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā”ti.

Definitions

A headdress: Veṭhitasīso nāma
if the ends of the hair are not showing it is a headdress. kesantaṁ na dassāpetvā veṭhito hoti.

One should not give a teaching to anyone with a headdress who is not sick. Na veṭhitasīsassa agilānassa dhammo desetabbo. If a monk, out of disrespect, gives a teaching to someone with a headdress who is not sick, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Yo anādariyaṁ paṭicca veṭhitasīsassa agilānassa dhammaṁ deseti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: Anāpatti—if it is unintentional; asañcicca, if he is not mindful; assatiyā, if he does not know; ajānantassa, if he is sick; gilānassa, if he teaches the person after having them uncover the ends of their hair; kesantaṁ vivarāpetvā deseti, if there is an emergency; āpadāsu, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.

The sixth training rule is finished. Chaṭṭhasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.