BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

Buddhist Monastic Code 1"But then the thought occurred to Sāriputta the wanderer: 'This is the wrong time toquestion him. Having entered among houses, he is going for alms. What if I were tofollow behind this bhikkhu, (to know) the path found out by those who seek it?'" —Mv.I.23.1-3Even though the following rules deal with minor matters, a bhikkhu should remindhimself that the minor details of his behavior can often make the difference betweensparking and killing another person's interest in the Dhamma.1-2. I will wear the lower robe [upper robe] wrapped around(me): a training to be observed.To wear the lower robe wrapped around means to wear the upper edge circling thewaist, covering the navel, and the lower edge covering the kneecaps. This is calledcovering the "three circles." The Commentary states that when one is standing, thelower edge should be not more than eight fingerbreadths below the knees, althoughif one's calves are disfigured, it is all right to cover them more than that.To wear the upper robe wrapped around means, according to the Vibhaṅga,keeping both ends of the top edge in line with each other, and the same with bothends of the bottom edge. The bottom edge of the upper robe, though, does nothave to be level with the bottom edge of the lower robe. Given the size of the upperrobe in the Buddha's time, it would not have extended down that far.Intentionally to wear either robe hanging down in front or in back is a breach ofthese rules. The Commentary states that the purpose of these rules is to preventbhikkhus from wearing their robes in any of the various ways that lay people inthose days wore theirs — e.g., pleated "with 100 pleats," tied up, or tucked upbetween the legs. It also comments that because these rules are not qualified, asthe following ones are, with the phrase, "in inhabited areas," they should befollowed in the monastery and wilderness areas as well. However, the wildernessprotocols (Cv.VIII.6.2-3) clearly show that bhikkhus were not expected to wear theupper robe wrapped around them in the wilderness; and the sauna protocols(Cv.VIII.8.2) seem to indicate that bhikkhus on their way to and from the sauna werenot required to wear their lower robes covering the three circles as long as theycovered their private parts front and back.As a practical matter, if one is working on a high ladder or in a tree — whether in avillage, a monastery, or the wilderness — a wise policy is to tuck one's lower robeup between the legs for decency's sake.438