Lzh Mu Bu Pm Np 14A New Blanket Should be Kept for Six Years
Pāli / Sanskrit:Chabbassa
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The Chabbassa Sutta: The Rule on Using a New Inner Robe
Background
The Chabbassa Sutta (Chabbassa = six years) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, in the Pātimokkha, the basic disciplinary rules of the Theravāda Buddhist Sangha. The place where this rule was established was the region of Sāvatthi, where the Buddha often resided. The event that led to the rule concerned the use of an inner robe (saṅghāti, a shared outer garment) by bhikkhus.
At that time, some bhikkhus did not know how to manage the property of the Sangha appropriately. They discarded new inner robes after a short time, even though the items were still quite good, merely because of changeability or weariness with use. This act wasted the property of the monastic community and showed a lack of wisdom in managing material goods. Seeing this, the Buddha established a clear rule to guide the Sangha.
Main Content
The text states that a new inner robe given to a bhikkhu must be used continuously for six years before it may be replaced, unless the robe is badly damaged or there is an unavoidable circumstance. This condition is not harsh compulsion, but wise guidance on how to live frugally and patiently.
This rule contains a spirit of careful calculation and understanding of the nature of material things. Six years is not an arbitrary number, but was determined according to the ordinary lifespan of a robe used daily in difficult climatic conditions such as those of ancient India. The rule also does not apply rigidly to emergencies or to robes damaged by unforeseeable accidents.
Practical Meaning
The Chabbassa rule is not only an instruction for material management, but also a profound lesson in mental attitude. In Theravāda Buddhism, living simply and cherishing material things is part of morality (sīla) and wisdom (paññā).
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