Lzh Mg Bi Pm Np 15Cīvarasannicaya
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvarasannicaya
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EXPOSITION OF CĪVARASANNICAYA
Background
Cīvarasannicaya is an important section within the Vinaya Piṭaka (Basket of Discipline) of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The word "cīvara" means robe (monastic garment), while "sannicaya" means accumulation, arrangement, or regulations concerning management. These are detailed rules relating to the management of robes belonging to bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs — a practical matter that carries profound significance in the life of practice.
During the time of the Buddha, those who had gone forth lived by minimizing their material needs. Robes were not a symbol of status or display, but served solely to protect the body from the elements and to uphold the standards of discipline. The regulations in this section arose from specific situations within the monastic community and were recorded as lessons to guide future generations of monastics.
Principal Contents
Cīvarasannicaya primarily sets forth the manner in which bhikkhus should arrange, store, and manage their robe possessions. According to the principles of the Vinaya, each monastic is permitted to own three robes (tricīvara): the upper robe (uttarāsaṅga), the lower robe (antaravāsaka), and the inner robe (sabāya). The purpose of these regulations is to prevent greed and excessive provision for personal needs.
This section of scripture also pertains to the handling of robes when a bhikkhu falls ill, or when changes in season and weather occur. It instructs how the community should distribute communal property and how individual monastics should care for their robes in an appropriate manner. The regulations also emphasize that robes should not be left in a state of disrepair, torn, or unclean, as this reflects a lack of self-discipline.
In particular, Cīvarasannicaya also addresses cases involving the handling of robes when a monastic disrobes, or when the community must decide how to share robes under difficult circumstances. These regulations reflect the spirit of mutual support within the Saṅgha while simultaneously maintaining simplicity and self-sufficiency.
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