Lzh Mu Bu Pm Np 25Taking Back Robe-Cloth
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvaraacchindana
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THE SUTTA ON TAKING BACK ROBE-CLOTH (CĪVARAACCHINDANA)
Background
This text appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga. These are rules governing property, clothing, and issues related to honors or ownership within the community of bhikkhunīs. The historical background of this text arises from specific situations in the religious life of the noble community, when disputes over ownership of monastic clothing occurred.
The Vinaya Piṭaka was established because the Buddha saw specific problems in the bhikkhunī community and laid down rules (Dhamma-vinaya) to maintain discipline, purity, and harmony. Each rule was not created arbitrarily, but was a direct response to actual events in the life of practice.
Main Content
The topic “taking back robe-cloth” (cīvaraacchindana) concerns a specific situation: when a bhikkhunī or a member of the noble community gives or leaves robe-cloth (cīvara) to another person, and afterward wishes to take it back or a dispute over ownership arises. The Vinaya Piṭaka clearly sets forth the conditions and legal principles within the religious community for resolving such disputes fairly.
Robe-cloth is one of the basic requisites that a monastic needs in order to maintain the ascetic life. It is not merely material property, but also a symbol of commitment within Buddhism. Therefore, the rules concerning ownership, giving, and taking back robe-cloth are clearly defined by the Buddhadharma in order to avoid useless quarrels, maintain the mind of the path, and preserve purity in the noble community.
In the related rules, the Buddhadharma instructs that giving or taking back property must be done voluntarily, transparently, and without exploitation. If a bhikkhunī gives a robe to another person, she needs to understand clearly that ownership has been transferred.
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