Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Pc 130Sewing Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvarasibbana
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EXPLANATION OF THE CĪVARASIBBANA SUTTA
(The Sutta on Sewing Robes)
Background
The Cīvarasibbana Sutta (Sewing Robes) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, especially the Pācittiya section, rules for bhikkhunīs concerning basic conduct requiring confession. This is not a Dharma discourse seeking transcendent truth, but a practical regulation in the communal life of the Buddhist Sangha.
The Vinaya Piṭaka was recorded to protect harmony in the monastic community and to nourish the mind of discipline and restraint (saṃvara). In the Buddha’s time, the robe (cīvara), a cloth made from torn rags or scraps, was not only clothing to cover the body, but also a symbol of humility and renunciation of material pleasure. Therefore, the manner of sewing robes also carries deep meaning for practice.
Main Content
The Cīvarasibbana Sutta prescribes principles related to bhikkhunīs sewing robes. According to the Theravāda tradition, if a bhikkhunī sews a robe without following specific regulations, for example by sewing on impermissible cloth or sewing in a manner not in accord with the standard, that act constitutes a Pācittiya offense.
A Pācittiya offense is a violation requiring confession before another bhikkhunī, in the case of female monastics. This confession is not merely mental remorse; it is a specific legal act within the Sangha that restores the purity of discipline (suddhisīla) of the offender.
The specific content of this text has not yet been fully translated in the available materials; however, based on the general context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the basic principle is this: actions related to robes should be performed with humility, without provocation and without seeking display. The purpose is to preserve diligence and avoid subtle offenses that are often not immediately visible.
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