Lzh Mi Bi Vb Pc 184Concealing a Gift of Fine Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Concealing a gift of fine robes
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The Sutta on Concealing a Gift of Fine Silk Robes
Background
The sutta on Concealing a Gift of Fine Robes belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically to the Pātimokkha, the code of restraint for the Sangha community. This is one of the prohibitions related to discipline concerning material goods and honesty within the community of monastics and faithful supporters.
The Vinaya Piṭaka was compiled to regulate the ethical conduct and actions of monastics, in order to maintain the purity of the Sangha community and support all those who wish to pursue the path of liberation. The prohibitions in the Vinaya are not arbitrary rules, but teachings arising from specific events in early Buddhist history, when the Buddha and his disciples encountered particular ethical situations.
Main Content
Pācittiya rule number 184 concerns concealing or failing to make public a gift of fine robes, that is, valuable pieces of cloth. In a monastic context, when a layperson or faithful supporter wishes to offer fine robes to a monastic, this is usually regarded as a meritorious act. However, if the monastic receives the gift but deliberately conceals the fact that it has been received, or conceals the identity of the donor, this is considered a violation.
The reason for this rule is profound. Concealment may arise from impure motives, such as the wish to hide wealth in order to avoid notice, that is, to prevent others from knowing that one has received a good gift, or deliberately hiding it in order to avoid sharing with the monastic community. According to the Vinaya, robe-gifts should generally be managed transparently and openly within the community.
This violation is classified as Pācittiya, that is, a middle-level prohibition requiring confession, the public acknowledgment of the fault before the community in order to be purified.
Practical Meaning
The sutta teaches that honesty and transparency are the foundation of the religious life.
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