Lzh Mi Bi Vb Np 11Taking Back Robe-Cloth
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvaraacchindana
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Exposition of the Cīvaraacchindana Sutta (Taking Back a Monastic Robe)
Background
Cīvaraacchindana belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. This sutta records an event in the process by which the Buddha and the monks and nuns established rules concerning the use and management of monastic robes (cīvara), material objects of great importance in the life of practice.
According to the historical context, events in the Vinaya Piṭaka often arose from specific cases in which disciples of the Buddha committed violations or caused problems. From these, the Buddha established training rules (sikkhāpada) to maintain discipline (vinaya) and administer the Sangha harmoniously. The case of "Cīvaraacchindana," taking back a monastic robe or tearing a monastic robe, is one of the violations recorded in the Nissaggiya Pācittiya or Pācittiya Vinaya.
Main Content
In this section, the sutta recounts a specific case: a monk or nun took back another’s monastic robe after having given it, or tore another’s monastic robe in an impulsive act. Such conduct violates a basic principle of the Vinaya: one must not harm the property of others and must not act out of anger (dosa) or disobedience.
According to the logic of the Vinaya Piṭaka, a monastic robe is not merely an ordinary material object. It is a symbol of going forth and a tool for covering the body in the ascetic life. When a member of the Sangha gives a robe to another, the act expresses fraternity, kindness, and trust within the Sangha. Therefore, taking back or destroying another’s robe is not only an infringement of ownership but also a breach of the precepts (sīla) concerning truthfulness and non-harming.
The sutta states clearly that this act creates a Pācittiya offense, a minor offense requiring confession, and that the monk must know and acknowledge his offense, then undertake confession (pātimokkha) before the Sangha.
Practical Meaning
Cīvaraacchindana is not only about a formal rule; it reveals a deep truth: purity in the Vinaya is the foundation of spirituality.
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