Dhutanga

Group of austerities or ascetic practices taught in Buddhism

Dhutanga (Pali dhutaṅga, ) or dhūtaguṇa (Sanskrit) is a group of austerities or ascetic practices taught in Buddhism. The Theravada tradition teaches a set of thirteen dhutangas, while Mahayana Buddhist sources teach a set of twelve dhūtaguṇas. The term is generally understood to be derived from the root dhu "to shake" and could mean practices which help one "shake off" the defilements. Thirteen kinds of ascetic practices have been allowed by the Blessed One to clansmen who have given up the things of the flesh and, regardless of body and life, are desirous of undertaking a practice in conformity [with their aim]. They are:

Refuse rag wearer's Practice (pamsukulik'anga) — wearing robes made up from discarded or soiled cloth and not accepting and wearing ready made robes offered by householders. Triple robe wearer's Practice (tecivarik'anga) — Having and wearing only three robes and not having additional allowable robes. Alms food eater's Practice (pindapatik'anga) — eating only food collected on pindapata or the almsround while not accepting food in the vihara or offered by invitation in a layman's house. House to house seeker's Practice (sapadanik'anga) — not omitting any house while going for alms; not choosing only to go to rich households or those selected for some other reason as relations, etc. One sessioner's practice (ekasanik'anga) — eating one meal a day and refusing other food offered after midday. (Those Gone Forth may not, unless ill, partake of food from midday until dawn the next day.) Bowl food eater's Practice (pattapindik'anga) — eating food from his bowl in which it is mixed together rather than from plates and dishes. Later food refuser's Practice (khalu paccha bhattik'anga) — not taking any more food after one has shown that one is satisfied, even though lay people wish to offer more. Forest dweller's Practice (Araññik'anga) — not dwelling in a town or village but living secluded, away from all kinds of distractions. Tree root dweller's Practice (rukkhamulik'anga) — living under a tree without the shelter of a roof. Open air dweller's Practice (abbhokasik'anga) — refusing a roof and a tree root, the practice may be undertaken sheltered by a tent of robes. Charnel ground dweller's Practice (susanik'anga) — living in or nearby a charnel field, graveyard or cremation ground (In ancient India there would have been abandoned and unburied corpses as well as some partially cremated corpses in such places.) Any bed user's Practice (yatha santhatik'anga) — being satisfied with any dwelling allotted as a sleeping place. Sitter's Practice (nesajjik'anga) — living in the three postures of walking, standing and sitting and never lying down.

Mahākassapa was one of the most revered of the Buddha's disciples, the renunciant par excellence. He was praised by the Buddha as foremost in ascetic practices (Pali: dhutavādānaṃ) and a foremost forest dweller. Mahākassapa Thera took upon him the thirteen ascetic practices (including living in the wilderness, living only from alms and wearing rag robes) and became an enlightened disciple (arahat) in nine days. He excelled in supernatural accomplishments (Pali: iddhi; Sanskrit: ṛddhi) and was equal to the Buddha in meditative absorption (Pali: jhāna; Sanskrit: dhyāna). He is depicted as a monk with great capacity to tolerate discomfort and contentment with the bare necessities of life. It is said that Mahākassapa assumed leadership of the monastic community following the paranibbāṇa (death) of the Buddha. And in many post canonical texts, Mahākassapa decided at the end of his life to enter a state of meditation and suspended animation, which was believed to cause his physical remains to stay intact in a cave under a mountain called Kukkuṭapāda, until the coming of Metteyya Buddha.