Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Dh Np 15Taking Back Robe-Cloth
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvaraacchindana
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EXPOSITION OF THE CIVARAACCHINDANA DISCOURSE
The Taking Back of Robe-Cloth
Background
The Civaraacchindana Discourse appears in the Vinaya Pitaka of the Early Buddhist tradition, specifically within the Patimokkha, the basic rules that bhikkhus must observe. Its content concerns the management and ownership of the essential requisites of the Sangha, especially the robe (civara), the symbol of going forth and monastic honor.
The story begins from a specific situation in the early Sangha community, when a bhikkhu was expelled or abandoned the discipline, and the question arose whether the community could take back the robe he was wearing. This was not a petty matter of property, but a matter of Sangha discipline and the spiritual meaning of monastic clothing.
Main Content
The Civaraacchindana Discourse states that when a bhikkhu seriously violates the Patimokkha or is recognized by the Sangha community as no longer worthy to wear the robe, the Sangha has the right to carry out a formal act (kamma) to take back this garment.
The taking back of the robe is not merely a punitive step, but a public act showing that the person has lost monastic status or has temporarily been deprived of the rights of a formal member. The law clearly defines the specific conditions under which this act may be performed, which persons are included in the decision, and the formal procedure to ensure fairness and transparency.
The discourse emphasizes that this process must follow precise steps: prior notification, an opportunity for the person to object, and finally a united decision of the Sangha according to the principle of majority. The purpose is to protect the purity of the Sangha community and maintain the Buddha’s teaching.
Practical Meaning
The Civaraacchindana Discourse teaches that Sangha discipline is not arbitrary, but a public, principled, and verified communal process.
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