Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Np 20Sharing Out-of-Season Robe Cloth
Pāli / Sanskrit:Akālacīvara
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Discourse on Sharing Out-of-Season Robe Cloth
Background
The Akālacīvara discourse (Sharing Out-of-Season Silk Robe Cloth) is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, especially in the Pātimokkha, the basic ethical code for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. This is one of the most important legal texts of Theravāda Buddhism, developed from specific situations that arose in the ancient Sangha community.
The background of this discourse comes from an actual event in the Buddha’s time. Some monastics shared silk robe-cloth with one another outside the season prescribed by Buddhism, usually the spring season. This matter was brought before the Buddha for guidance, because the act could be related to attachment to property, contrary to the spirit of going forth. From this, the Buddha proclaimed a prohibition (pāṭidesanīya) to manage this behavior reasonably within the monastic community.
Main Content
In the spirit of the Vinaya, the Akālacīvara discourse concerns sharing or exchanging silk robes at times that are not the official robe-distribution season (cīvarassa kālo). According to the Pāli Vinaya, bhikkhus receive robes at certain periods of the year, and sharing silk robes out of season may lead to hoarding possessions or creating difficulties among monastics.
The Buddha did not absolutely forbid this action, but required a clear rule: monastics must inform (anusāsanā) the recipient that it is a temporary sharing. This is intended to avoid misunderstanding or disputes over ownership. The basic principle is that bhikkhus must always remain alert to the aspect of “not-self” (anattā) and the impermanence (anicca) of all things, including material property.
This regulation also reflects the practical principle of the Vinaya: not every action must be absolutely prohibited; rather, it should be wisely managed in order to maintain harmony (sāmaggi) in the community and protect purity of mind (cittasuddhi).
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.